Cave of the Hands

　　The Cave of the Hands is situated in the province of Santa Cruz. "Los Manos" translates to "Hand Cave." It is made up of a series of canyon caves, with rock paintings on the walls inside. These are masterpieces created by the now-vanished ancient Toldense people. The name "Hand Cave" comes from the carved handprints found within the caves.

　　The defining feature of the caves is the diverse array of handprints painted or engraved on the walls, resembling leaves scattered across the branches of a tree. The walls also depict local animals and sacred symbols. Additionally, there are many representations of commonly seen local creatures, such as the red llama. The Cave of the Hands is a remarkable collection of prehistoric rock art and serves as a testament to the early human culture of South America.

　　The exceptional cave art found at the Cave of the Hands dates back between 1,000 and 10,000 years ago. Before European settlers arrived in the 17th century, these paintings were protected by hunter-gatherer groups who lived in the remote region of Patagonia. Although the Tehuelche people have since disappeared, their spirit lives on here.

　　Cave of the Hands Reason to visit: The world’s most magical handprint cave paintings Continent: South America [South America] Country/Region: Argentina [Argentina] Province/State: Santa Cruz Province [Santa Cruz Province]