Archaeologists have discovered evidence of a lost civilization that lived in South America at least 4,000 years ago.
Ancient drawings have been discovered on a flat mountain in Venezuela, featuring colourful designs of dot patterns, leaf motifs and stick figures that could have been part of a mysterious ritual.
Lead researcher José Miguel Pérez-Gómez told DailyMail.com that previous studies have found no signs of human activity in the region, suggesting the art was made by a previously unknown civilisation.
The difference between the newly discovered group and other cultures is based solely “on stylistic comparisons with other places in the region,” suggesting that it could be “ground zero for the emergence of this culture.”
Archaeologists discover evidence of a ‘lost civilization’ in Venezuela depicting ancient rituals in 4,000-year-old drawings
The rock art was discovered on a mountain in Canaima National Park, which could be the “ground zero” where indigenous culture first developed.
The rock art was discovered in Canaima National Park in Bolívar state, which spans more than 11,500 square miles.
“What we are seeing is a new culture of hunter-gatherers who probably arrived in the Canaima National Park area at the end of the Pleistocene,” which lasted between 2.5 million and 11,700 years ago,” Pérez-Gómez explained.
‘They settled there, evolved and then spread to the rest of the region, reaching places as far away as the Amazon basin.’
Some of the drawings, such as those that appear to depict a leaf, are located in out-of-reach areas and “situated in a clean, oval-shaped rock space that may have inspired the artist to create this particular design,” reads the study published in the diary Rock art research.
Hunter-gatherers used red ochre, a natural oxide pigment made from ground clay, quartz and chalk, which had a slight orange hue.
Other motifs resembled clavate, a club-shaped image or symbol, with faded figures below and around it, which could be a sign of successful hunting efforts.
According to the study, more research is needed to understand the meaning behind the drawings and what they represent.
“Stylistic comparisons made so far show similarities with cave paintings near the border with Brazil, dating back about 4,000 years,” he continued, adding: “However, the newly discovered cave art is much cruder, suggesting it could be even older.”
The artwork featured stick drawings of people, dot patterns and distinctive leaf motifs on a rock wall that may have been used as a shelter for indigenous hunter-gatherers and as a site for ritual activities.
Researchers are not sure why ancient people created art, but it could be related to birth, illness, nature or hunting.
Although some drawings showed signs of organic disturbances such as lichens, algae, roots or wasp nests, archaeologists noted that the protruding area of the rock wall had preserved the panels.
Although some drawings showed signs of organic disturbances such as lichens, algae, roots or wasp nests, archaeologists observed that the area protruding from the mountain had preserved the panels.
“These findings are exceptional because they are new to science and fill a gap in a region that has never been explored before in archaeological terms,” said Pérez-Gómez.
‘They also provide context for other regional studies in northern Brazil, the Guianas and even southern Colombia.’
Pérez-Gómez said the depictions could be related to birth, illness, nature or hunting, but the location “probably had a meaning and importance within the landscape, just as churches have a meaning for people today.”
The location of the mountain gives a clue to the type of people who may have created the drawings because it lies between the Arauak and Aparuren rivers which flow in opposite directions.
The secondary river is connected to the Tirica River which flows into the Caroni River, which places the mountain “at the centre of a natural passage in this valley for animal migration,” the study notes.
Some of the drawings were in out-of-reach areas and the team had to climb a ladder to photograph them.
Hunter-gatherers used red ochre, a natural oxide pigment made from ground clay, quartz and chalk, which had a slight orange hue.
Researchers have called for the site to be protected and are optimistic they will discover more rock art sites in the park that spans 11,583 square miles.
Pérez-Gómez said faded graffiti was also found on the rock wall dating back to 1947 and appears to belong to Spanish explorer Captain Félix Cardona Puig, who discovered the area.
Pottery shards and stone tools also littered the area, suggesting they may have been used by the hunter-gatherers who created the art.
“All this evidence indicates that we are in the presence of a new culture,” Pérez-Gómez told DailyMail.com.
Some motifs resemble clavate, a club-shaped image or symbol, with faded figures below and around it that could be a sign of successful hunting efforts.
Some of the drawings, such as those that appear to depict a leaf (pictured), are located in out-of-reach areas and are “situated in a clean, oval-shaped rock space, which may have inspired the artist to create this particular design.”
Pérez-Gómez and are working with researchers from neighboring countries to determine whether the same cultural groups made the rock art.
He and his co-author have called for the site to be protected and are optimistic that they will discover more rock art sites in the park that spans 11,583 square miles.
“The park itself is larger than countries like El Salvador or Belgium, so it would not be surprising to find even more traces if the investigation continues further, depending on resources,” Pérez-Gómez said. Axios.
The couple is working with researchers from neighboring countries to determine whether the same cultural groups created the rock art.
“This is relevant not only for Venezuela but points to a cultural and ethnic richness that will improve, globally, how we think about the region,” Pérez-Gómez said.