 Pictographs in 'Cueva Numero Uno' | |
  Pomier Caves location in the Dominican Republic | |
| Location | north ofSan Cristobal |
|---|---|
| Region | southernDominican Republic |
| Coordinates | 18°28′03.61″N70°08′05.86″W / 18.4676694°N 70.1349611°W /18.4676694; -70.1349611 |
| History | |
| Periods | from 2,000 years ago |
| Associated with | Taino,Carib,Igneri |
ThePomier Caves are a series of 55caves located north ofSan Cristobal in the south of theDominican Republic. They contain the largest collection ofrock art in theCaribbean created since 2,000 years ago primarily by theTaíno people but also theKalinago people and theIgneri, thepre-Columbianindigenous inhabitants of theBahamas,Greater Antilles, and some of theLesser Antilles. These caves have been damaged by the uncontrolled mining of limestone nearby.[1][2]
Archaeologists have described the importance of preserving these caves which were first discovered in 1851. The caves contain approximately 6,000 drawings, carvings andpictographs of birds, fish, reptiles, and human figures. The paintings were drawn withcharcoal mixed with animal fat. Archaeologists say that the paintings have been protected by the natural humidity provided by the depth of the caves.
In 1996, the Anthropological Reserve of Cuevas de Borbón in San Cristóbal was enlarged to protect the El Pomier caves fromlimestone quarrying. This raised their protection category, and included them in the National System of Protected Areas, through the General Law on Environmental and Natural Resources, Law 64-00, which also gave instructions to the Secretariat de Estate supervising its application.[3][4]
Given the international importance of these caves for the study ofAmerindian groups that inhabited theCaribbean Islands for nearly 8,000 years prior to the arrival of western culture, the caves are being considered for the unique category of Capital Prehistoric De Las Antillas (Prehistoric Capital of the Antilles) and the rehabilitation of one of its caves and its surrounding area to match this new category.
