When Claims of ‘Discoveries’ in the Amazon Ring False

When news broke worldwide of an incredible find in Colombia, local experts and guides say their knowledge was misrepresented

Detail of cave art at the Cerro Azul, in Serrania La Lindosa
All members of the community interviewed for this story say the indigenous groups of the region have always known about the murals and recognize them as part of their cultural heritage. DIANA SANCHEZ/AFP via Getty Images

The content of this article is under editorial review. The article will be re-posted when it has been reviewed in full and Smithsonian feels that it can stand by the story.

Tucked in towering table-top mountains known as Tepuis, thousands of pictographs can be found in large-scale murals. GUILLERMO LEGARIA/AFP via Getty Images
Pictured: Aerial view of the Serrania de Chiribiquete, located in the Amazonian jungle departments of Caqueta and Guaviare, Colombia, on June 7, 2018. GUILLERMO LEGARIA/AFP via Getty Images

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