Chugai' Pictograph Site, Rock art site in Rota, Northern Mariana Islands.
Chugai' Pictograph Site is a limestone cave in the I'Chenchon Bird Sanctuary on the southeastern side of Rota. Inside, a single painted panel 185 feet (56 m) long holds about 90 drawings of late pre-contact origin. A trail cut during the Japanese South Seas Mandate period leads to the cave.
The painted drawings are believed to date from the late pre-contact period, before European contact reached the Marianas. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The trail leading to the cave was cut during the Japanese South Seas Mandate period.
The site lies within the I'Chenchon Bird Sanctuary, and the trail to the cave was cut by the Japanese during the South Seas Mandate period. The roughly 90 painted drawings are believed to date from the late pre-contact era, before Chamorro life on Rota was reshaped by colonial rule.
The cave is reached via a hiking trail that passes through forested terrain and requires physical effort. It is wise to ask for local information about conditions and any access restrictions before visiting.
The artists used natural pigments to create their drawings, which have remarkably survived over time. These colorants came from the surrounding area and show the Chamorro knowledge of their environment.
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