The Pomeir Caves Anthropological Reserve is a series of 55 limestone caves located 7km to the north of Sant Cristobal. Due to the variety of cave paintings and secrets hidden deep within the caves about life in times gone by life they are considered unique in the Dominican Republic and extremely rare in the rest of the world.
Discovery of the Pomier Caves
The first time the caves were visited in modern times was back in 1851 when the German-born historian and botanist for Great Britain, Sir Robert Schomburgk discovered the series of prehistoric caves and left his name engraved on one of the walls. However, it wasn’t until 1969 that the caves were given the importance they truly deserve and named a Natural Monument, and in 1993, was granted the status of an Anthropological Reserve.
Cave paintings
The Pomier Caves are home to thousands of cave paintings created by the indigenous Taíno and Ingeri (or Iñeris) people more than 2000 years ago. The paintings were drawn with charcoal and the animal fat from manatees. Each of thethem depicts a small part of the pre-Hispanic lifestyle and beliefs of these communities.
Division of the caves
The main cave is divided into four sections, each with a specific theme:
Grandes Edentados: Excavations were carried out in this part of the Pomier Caves in 1976 and fossils from large herbivorous edentates were discovered.
Boinayel: This section of the cave takes its name from the rain god who according to ancient belief transformed his tears into rain.
Cohoba: The cave art in this section depict the Cohoba ritual, which was used to make contact with the gods. This involved fasting for several days and then entering in a trance by snorting a hallucinogenic powder inside the cave.
Big Blocks Room: It has large blocks of stone that fell off the ceiling over time.
What you need to know before planning a visit to the Pomier Caves
Transport:
It’s quite easy to get to the caves, even with your own car, as there are plenty of signs along the way to help you find it easily and quickly.
Cost:
Visiting the Pomier Caves is a journey back in time that costs very little and by paying a little bit extra you can get a guide to take you through the caves.
Precautions:
There’s very little natural sunlight once you’re inside the caves so you’ll need at least one torch to fully enjoy the experience.
It’s a must for anyone who enjoys cultural trips and anthropology because of the enormous variety of cave paintings showing what life was like in primitive times.
Photo: Dustin Mejía, Perelló Cultural Center.
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