Fascinating Discovery: Ancient Rock Art Beside Dinosaur Tracks Unearthed in Brazil

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter to stay updated on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements, and more. Explore the universe with us!

A new study has revealed that prehistoric humans in Brazil carved drawings in the rock next to dinosaur footprints. This suggests that they may have found the footprints meaningful or interesting.

The rock carvings, also known as petroglyphs, are found at Serrote do Letreiro in Paraíba, Brazil. These marks were first noticed by researchers in 1975. Recently, new carvings have been discovered through field surveys with drones. These carvings are believed to be footprints of dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous Period, which ended 66 million years ago.

The giant footprint left by a dinosaur was found on the Yorkshire Coast.

The giant footprint left by a dinosaur was found on the Yorkshire Coast.

Marie Woods/University of Manchester

Related article

Record-breaking dinosaur footprint appears on the Yorkshire coast

"People often assume that Indigenous people lacked awareness of their surroundings or scientific curiosity," shared Leonardo Troiano, an archaeologist at the Institute of National Historic and Artistic Heritage in Brasilia. However, it is evident that they were intrigued by footprints. While we may never know if they were aware of dinosaurs, their interest in the prints indicates a level of curiosity and significance.

The Serrote do Letreiro petroglyphs are not the first instances of rock art near dinosaur prints. The researchers of the study believe that the unique clarity of the connection between the two at this specific location could have important implications for paleontology, archaeology, and cultural heritage studies.

A dashed line indicates petroglyphs made by indigenous people, while a continuous line shows theropod dinosaur footprints.

A dashed line indicates petroglyphs made by indigenous people, while a continuous line shows theropod dinosaur footprints.

Leonardo Troiano

Geometric shapes

It is uncertain when the petroglyphs were created. However, a study published in March in the journal Scientific Reports revealed that burial sites in the vicinity have been dated to be between 9,400 and 2,620 years old. This indicates that the tribes responsible for the petroglyphs must have lived during that period.

According to Troiano, the people who created the petroglyphs most likely lived in small communities, utilizing the natural rocky shelters that are plentiful in the area.

This area in Brazil is similar to the Outback in Australia - it's very hot and lacks shade, making it difficult to carve the rock. It takes a lot of effort to work there, so the decision to choose this location was very deliberate. There were many other rock formations nearby that could have been used, but this one was selected.

The drawings found here come in a variety of styles, indicating that multiple artists may have been involved. Some of the designs resemble plant shapes, while others appear to be geometric shapes like squares, rectangles, and circles. The circles often have crosses or lines inside them, resembling stars according to Troiano. However, the meaning behind these markings remains a mystery.

“They all seem to be abstract, and if they represented something to the people who made them, we don’t know what it is,” he said.

A view of ancient stone carvings on a rocky point of the Amazon river that were exposed after water levels dropped to record lows during a drought in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil October 23, 2023. REUTERS/Suamy Beydoun

A collection of ancient stone carvings on a rocky area along the Amazon River became visible when water levels decreased significantly due to a drought in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil on October 23, 2023. The striking carvings offer a glimpse into the past and provide a unique opportunity for exploration and discovery. The photographs captured by Suamy Beydoun of Reuters showcase the beauty and historical significance of these uncovered artifacts.

Related article

Ancient face carvings exposed as Amazon water level drops to record lows

The tracks at Serrote do Letreiro are believed to have been made by three types of dinosaurs: theropods, sauropods, and ornithopods. Researchers suspect that those who carved the rock may have mistaken some of the tracks for those of rheas, large birds similar to ostriches, which have prints that closely resemble those of theropod dinosaurs.

It is more difficult to understand what the ancient people might have thought of the sauropod prints, left by some of the largest herbivore dinosaurs to ever exist, and unlike any animal they would have known. Due to this, the intentional connection between the drawings and these particular prints is less clear, as mentioned in the study.

Dinosaur rituals

Troiano said he believes that the marks might have been left during communal gatherings.

I believe that rock art creation was connected to some type of ritual context. People would gather and create something, possibly even using psychotropic substances. In our region, there is a plant called jurema that has hallucinogenic properties and is still used today. It is highly likely that people in the past also used this plant, given its abundance in the area. They seemed to be curious about the meaning of the footprints and recognized them as intentional markings, not just random designs.

A reconstruction of Homo naledi's head by paleoartist John Gurche, who spent some 700 hours recreating the head from bone scans. The find was announced by the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society and the South African National Research Foundation and published in the journal eLife. Photo by Mark Thiessen/National Geographic

A reconstruction of Homo naledi's head was done by paleoartist John Gurche, who dedicated around 700 hours to recreate it from bone scans. The discovery was announced by the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society, and the South African National Research Foundation. The findings were published in the journal eLife.

Photo by Mark Thiessen/National Geographic

Mark Thiessen/National Geographic

Related article

Mysterious species buried their dead and carved symbols 100,000 years before humans

There are other sites where petroglyphs can be found near dinosaur footprints, in countries like the United States and Poland. However, according to Troiano, these sites do not show the same level of intentionality as the ones in Spain. Intentionality refers to how closely the drawings are located to the prints and if they overlap with them. The study suggests that if they do not overlap, it indicates a deliberate and thoughtful approach by the creators.

Troiano mentioned that he is currently working on a new paper that will delve further into the interpretation and analysis of the Serrote do Letreiro petroglyphs, expanding on the discoveries made in the present study.

Radosław Palonka, an associate professor of archaeology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, who has experience with similar petroglyphs but was not part of this study, noted that the direct connection of the drawings to dinosaur fossil tracks is a unique aspect that could provide more insight into the importance, meaning, and significance of rock art.

"The specific locations chosen for rock art panels indicate a deliberate selection process. For example, communities creating rock paintings or petroglyphs often placed them near older images from different cultures," Palonka explained in an email. This pattern can be observed in various regions worldwide where rock art was prevalent. In particular, the North American Southwest, which is the primary focus of my scientific research, clearly demonstrates this practice."

This petroglyph is the most notable and visible one at the site, according to Troiano. The circle is internally divided by lines and is of large dimensions.

This petroglyph is the most notable and visible one at the site, according to Troiano. The circle is internally divided by lines and is of large dimensions.

Leonardo Troiano

Jan Simek, a renowned anthropology professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, shared his thoughts on the paper. He found it to be a fascinating new example of how ancient people incorporated fossils into their religious beliefs and experiences. Simek, who was not involved in the study on the new petroglyphs, highlighted the significance of observing fossils on the landscape.

Simek mentioned the work of historian Adrienne Mayor from Stanford University, who explored how ancient Greeks and Romans viewed fossils as evidence of giants and monsters from their mythologies. Similarly, indigenous North American peoples tied their origin stories to the fossils they found in their surroundings. Simek emphasized that the case in Brazil is another archaeological illustration of how humans connect the spiritual world with unexplained phenomena in the natural world.

Editor's P/S:

This article provides fascinating insights into the interaction between prehistoric humans and dinosaurs in Brazil. The discovery of petroglyphs beside dinosaur footprints suggests that the ancient people may have found these prints meaningful or intriguing. The intentional connection between the drawings and the footprints raises intriguing questions about the cognitive abilities and beliefs of these early humans. It is remarkable that these carvings have survived for thousands of years, offering a glimpse into the minds of our ancestors and their relationship with the natural world.

Furthermore, the article highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeology, paleontology, and cultural heritage studies. By combining different perspectives, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the significance of these petroglyphs and their context within the broader cultural and environmental landscape. The ongoing research on the Serrote do Letreiro site promises to shed further light on the complex relationship between humans and their prehistoric surroundings, and contribute to our knowledge of the cognitive and cultural evolution of our species.