Ancient human face carvings, believed to be between 1,000 to 2,000 years old, have been revealed on the rocky banks of the Amazon River due to record low water levels resulting from the region’s most severe drought in over a century. These stone carvings, located at Ponto das Lajes near the confluence of the Rio Negro and Solimões rivers, offer valuable insights into precolonial history. Some of the grooves found suggest that Indigenous people might have used them to sharpen their weapons long before European arrival.
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Key Points:Â
- The severe drought in Manaus, Brazil led to the Amazon River’s water level dropping significantly, unveiling ancient stone carvings believed to be up to 2,000 years old.
- Archaeologist Jaime de Santana Oliveira mentioned that while some of these carvings were known previously, the recent exposure reveals a greater variety that aids in tracing their origins.
- Some carvings indicate areas where Indigenous residents might have sharpened arrows and spears, suggesting their existence long before European colonization.
- While the exact age of these engravings is uncertain, evidence points to them being prehistoric or precolonial, dating between 1,000 and 2,000 years.
- Ponto das Lajes, where the carvings are found, experienced a significant drop in the Rio Negro’s water level by 15 meters since July, leading to the current exposure of these historical artifacts.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/style/brazil-amazon-face-carvings-scn/index.htmlÂ
