Chiribiquete's rock shelters, Archaeological site in Sierra de Chiribiquete, Colombia.

The Chiribiquete rock shelters are archaeological sites in the Sierra de Chiribiquete, Colombia, where more than 36 shelters and caves hold over 250,000 rock paintings, the largest concentration of Amazonian pictographs. The oldest date to 19,510 years before present. Human figures range from schematic hunters and warriors to naturalistic forms, and jaguars appear naturalistically in the earliest phases and later figuratively and abstractly.

Archaeological excavations revealed evidence of human presence dating back around 19,500 years through ancient hearths and stone tools. These findings represent some of the earliest known artistic activity in South America.

The rock art features many jaguars, which held spiritual meaning for indigenous peoples across the Amazon region. These images reveal how early inhabitants saw their connection to the animals around them.

The site remains closed to the general public and requires special permits from Colombian authorities. Those interested in research or documentation should contact official agencies or scientific institutions about potential access opportunities.

Scientists have documented over 250,000 individual drawings across 36 rock shelters, making it the largest concentration of rock art in the Amazon. This abundance of material from so many different locations offers a rare window into millennia of artistic traditions.