My mom and I took a little road trip down to Baja to check out the pictographs of the El Vallecito archaeological cave art site. The location features 1-3,000 year old La Rumorosa style rock art, distinct for being found around granite rock shelters, created by ancestors of the Yuman and Kumeyaay people. One can come across depictions of human figures, lizard forms, sunbursts, abstract symbols, and more. A popular shelter contains El Diablito, or The Suncatcher, a horned red human figure that catches the sun’s rays during the winter solstice. I love seeing these artistic expressions from those of long ago. It shows that humanity has always used art as a lens through which we make sense of the world, and our place in it. What does it say about the past, and how does it relate to the present? How much has humanity really changed?
