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www.speleophilately.com
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The islands of the Netherlands
Antilles are only little specks on a map of the Caribbean, and similarly
the caves of this area are rather unassuming compared to the impressive
caverns in the U.S.A. and elsewhere on the American continent.
Also the caves on the Greater Antilles are much bigger in size and
appearance. Although only some of the Lesser Antilles north of Trinidad
are to a greater or lesser extent covered with limestone, Cole's Cave on
Barbados, and the Trou du Diable on Marie-Galante are considerably
larger than the two most important caves of the Netherlands Antilles,
the Cave of Hato on Curaçao, and the Lago Colony Cave on Aruba.
Although caves may have played a role in the religious belief of
prehistoric people in the Caribbean, the interest of the Indian
inhabitants of Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire must have been mainly of a
practical nature. As far as known caves served them as shelters and not
as dwellings.
With a view to the many sheltered places in which at present petrographs
are still to be found, one may assume that in former times the Indians
made petrographs almost in all places suitable for drawing.
Thus caves as that of Fontein (Aruba) and Spelonk (Bonaire) became real
treasuries, as they have low, spacious rooms in which the artist had
daylight far into the interior.
The Netherlands Antilles Post Administration issued a series of three
stamps on march 29th. 1977, depicting different Indian motifs.
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25 cent stamp: a naturalistic bird,
situated in a large natural excavation of a granite rock at Ceru Boonchi,
West of the Arikok mountain, Aruba.
35 cent stamp: abstract figure, Seroe
di Cueba, on Plantage Savonet, Curaçao.
40 cent stamp: turtle (?), Onima Cave, Bonaire.
References:
Wagenaar Hummelinck, P. 1953 Rotstekeningen van Curaçao, Aruba en
Bonaire.Linear rock designs of Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire. Uitgave van
de Natuurwetensch. Werkgroep Ned. Ant. Nr.2
Wagenaar Hummelinck, P. 1957 idem deel II (uitgave nr.6)
Wagenaar Hummelinck, P. 1972 idem deel IV (uitgave nr.21)
Wagenaar Hummelinck, P. 1979 De grotten van de Ned. Antillen. Caves of
the Netherlands Antilles. Uitgave van de Natuurwetenschappelijke
studiekring voor Suriname en de Ned. Antillen.No. 97 mei 1979.
Crosby, H. 1980 Baja's Murals of mystery, National Geographic, vol. 158,
no. 5 november 1980
With special thanks to:
Mr. E.H.J. Boerstra, who made the original photographs which were
used for the stamps, and who supplied us with valuable information.
Dr. C.F. Winkler Prins and the Administration of the Antillean
Post.
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