<< Our Photo Pages >> Punta Walichu - Cave or Rock Shelter in Argentina
Submitted by DrewParsons on Thursday, 05 November 2009 Page Views: 8013
Natural PlacesSite Name: Punta WalichuCountry: Argentina
NOTE: This site is 167.126 km away from the location you searched for.
Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Nearest Town: El Calafate
Latitude: 50.29592S Longitude: 72.20344W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
Internal Links:
External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
DrewParsons has visited here
Dating is uncertain although a date of 4000 years before present is suggested by comparison with similar but better rock art further north in areas such as the World Heritage site of Cueva de las Manos some 500 kilometres north from here.
The paintings are made from iron oxides, guanaco (a small llama) grease, plant resins, gypsum, the white of eggs and human saliva and are thought to have been painted by the pre Tehuelche indigenous populations who inhabited these shores in the Patagonian neolithic age. They were first mentioned in modern times by the explorer and naturalist and Argentinian national hero Francisco Pascasio Moreno (after whom various places in Argentina were named).
The site is located 7 km east from the town of El Calafate reached along the highway towards the airport travelling eastwards and then down an unsurfaced but driveable side road running north east for some 4 kilometres to the shore of the lake where a private visitors' centre and cafe operate. Entry fees in October 2009 were Argentinian Pesos 50 per person (Euros 11 at the time of writing).
A path follows the line of the cliff past some reproductions of rock art found at other sites, to reach a series of overhangs and caves which have the original paintings, those in red being the most visible whilst others are almost lost to sight. The views from the caves and cliffs across beautiful Lago Argentino were stunning in the October sun as we looked across to the snow capped mountains at the top of the lake.
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.
Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site
Nearby sites
Click here to view sites on an interactive map of the areaKey: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed
Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)
To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.
Turn off the page maps and other distractions
Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
144.1km SSW 191° Cueva del Milodon Cave or Rock Shelter
160.7km S 188° Museo Histórico Municipalidad Natales* Museum
266.4km SE 140° Pali Aike Cave or Rock Shelter
367.2km NNE 19° Cueva de las Manos Cave or Rock Shelter
390.7km N 356° Sendero Los Fosiles* Museum
566.5km SSE 154° Museo del Fin del Mundo* Museum
594.7km SSE 154° Bahia Wulaia Dome Middens* Ancient Village or Settlement
980.7km N 355° Monte Verde* Ancient Village or Settlement
1083.8km N 356° Pilauco Ancient Village or Settlement
1877.3km N 4° Parque Almagro* Modern Stone Circle etc
1878.2km N 4° Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, MNHN* Museum
1878.8km N 4° Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino de Santiago de Chile* Museum
2025.5km N 3° Los petroglifos Tilama* Rock Art
2063.7km NE 39° La Plata Museum Museum
2179.7km N 2° Valle del Encanto* Rock Art
2212.9km N 3° Petroglifos de las Tinajas* Rock Art
2216.0km N 3° Stone house Pichasca* Ancient Village or Settlement
2256.6km NE 40° Localidad Rupestre de Chamangá Rock Art
2269.0km N 2° Archaeological Museum of La Serena* Museum
2341.9km N 4° Los petroglifos del Cerro La Silla Rock Art
2549.9km NNE 11° El Shincal Ancient Village or Settlement
2655.3km NNE 14° Tafi del Valle* Sculptured Stone
2678.9km NNE 14° Fuerte Quemado* Ancient Village or Settlement
2690.1km NNE 14° Museo Pachamama* Museum
2701.7km NNE 14° Los Quilmes* Ancient Village or Settlement
View more nearby sites and additional images