The soundscapes of Baja California Sur: Preliminary results from the Cañón de Santa Teresa rock art landscape

Researchers have demonstrated that the rock art traditions of the Cañón de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur, Mexico, were deliberately created in locations with optimal acoustic conditions. By analyzing monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, the study found that artists, particularly those responsible for carvings, selected sites with favorable soundscapes. Notably, the sector containing two highly painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, exhibits the most advantageous acoustic properties in the region. This finding underscores the importance of integrating rigorous scientific methodologies from acoustical physics into the study of past communities' sonic environments.

Díaz-Andreu, M., Gutiérrez Martínez, M. d. l. L., Mattioli, T., Picas, M., Villalobos, C., & Zubieta, L. F. (2021). The soundscapes of Baja California Sur: Preliminary results from the Cañón de Santa Teresa rock art landscape. Quaternary International, 572, 166–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2020.02.026