Archaeology of Cotua Island, Amazonas Territory, Venezuela

Cotua Island is situated among the Yavariven Rapids of the Orinoco River northwest of the island of María Auxiliadora in Latitude 5°35'N and Longitude 67°35'W (Fig. 4). It measures some 2000 meters long and 500 meters wide.About four years ago, when the waters of the Orinoco were unusually high, they completely covered the island. Nevertheless, a Creole is now living there, as the fertility of the soil is great enough to overcome his fear that the river will again rise over the island. Directly west of his house, the water has eroded pebbles and Indian potsherds from the ground (Fig. 4, 4). To the southeast, on Maria Auxiliadora Island, there are petroglyphs (Fig. 4, 1), and in addition both islands bear workshops, where the Indians appear to have ground stone artifacts on outcrops of rock (Fig. 4, 2, 3, 5).