Swaddled Body Theory

The photograph below depicts a rock-carving that some believe to be a "swaddled infant". It is located at the foot entrance of La Cueva del Indio, in Arecibo Puerto Rico. This site is considered probably the most important Taíno site in Puerto Rico, located in an oceanside cave on the north coast, and has the highest number of Taíno petroglyphs on the coast. The cave served as a mysterious and intriguing meeting place for the indigenous people of Puerto Rico called the Taínos.

A preliminary report on petroglyphs in Puerto Rico (1960 Frassetto, Monica Flaherty) suggested that petroglyphs depicting wrapped bodies are those of infants. However, modern archaeological research has challenged this interpretation. Researchers such as Dr. Peter G. Roe, through studies of living cultures of South America, cave petroglyphs and ceramics of Puerto Rico, along with the Spanish record, concluded that the rounded bundle that extends below some of the carved faces is not a "swaddled infant" as had been suggested but the deceased body as wrapped in a hammock.

It is interesting to note that Taínos slept in hammocks; and when they died it was customary to wrap the deceased person in their respective hammock. The word "hammock" itself is derived from the Taíno language, demonstrating the cultural significance of these woven beds in their society.

The drawing above shows different body types of the so called "swaddled/wrapped" theory. The round-eyed, hammock-wrapped petroglyph shows the practice of wrapping the deceased in a hammock using a pole to carry them to their burial. These carvings can be seen on the Reef Bay petroglyph of a body that's been wrapped in a hammock in preparation for burial.

Archaeological evidence suggests that petroglyphs in Puerto Rico are often found at water pools, indicating their sacred connection to natural water sources and spiritual practices. One thing we can certainly say is that these ancient symbols are deeply rooted in a sense of sacredness, the unknowable mysteries of creation and the ever changing patterns of natural energies. Taíno people used spiritual symbols to manifest their bond with nature and the higher realm, with symbols reflecting cosmic balance and the power of ancestral spirits .