COA study published by four archaeologists from the University of Exeter in England presents the first detailed classification of painted handprints found at the rock sites Cerro Azul and Paredones del Potrero in the Serranía de La Lindosa, Guaviare. Researchers identified 496 handprints on rocky formations, 70% of which were decorated with spirals, zigzags, vertical and horizontal lines. They classified these decorated handprints into 13 distinct types, creating the most diverse set of decorated hands recorded so far in the Americas. The most common design was the spiral, with 170 handprints featuring thick spirals in the center of the palm. These decorations were compared to those found in Australia and Borneo, where linear and geometric designs were more prevalent. The researchers suggest that these differences indicate varying aesthetic conventions and potentially different social, ritual, or ontological functions. While there are no deep records of the ancestral communities that inhabited the area, the 13 designs appear to reflect social differentiation among the communities. The handprints could date back 11,700 years, based on the periods associated with early Holocene andLate
Bias read (Center): The article reports on an archaeological study of ancient rock art, focusing on the classification and comparison of decorative patterns found in Colombia. There is no mention of political figures, policies, or contentious issues. The content is purely cultural and historical, with no apparent bias.
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 80): The article accurately reports the study's findings, including the number of handprints, decoration types, and cross-regional comparisons. It mentions the 13 distinct types and the prevalence of spiral designs. Objectivity is slightly compromised by the phrase 'potentially different' which introduce
