Researchers have discovered rock art in the Colombian Amazon depicting early human life alongside extinct Ice Age creatures, including mastodons and giant sloths. The art, created between 11,800 and 12,600 years ago, features an extensive variety of images and serves as one of the largest collections of rock art in South America, providing insight into the lives of prehistoric peoples during a significant climatic transition.
Recent research has uncovered remarkable rock art in the Colombian Amazon that portrays the region’s earliest inhabitants coexisting with massive, now-extinct Ice Age animals. These artworks, estimated to be created between 11,800 and 12,600 years ago, were documented in three rock shelters during excavations conducted in 2017 and 2018. The findings, now published, reveal an extensive array of paintings, showcasing representations of large prehistoric mammals, such as mastodons—relatives of modern elephants—as well as giant sloths and horses of the Ice Age. Additionally, the artwork features geometric patterns, human forms, handprints, hunting depictions, and various fauna including snakes and birds. The red pigments used were derived from scraped ochre, marking this collection as one of the most significant assemblages of rock art discovered in South America. The investigative team comprised experts from the National University of Colombia, the University of Antioquia, and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.
The Amazon rainforest rock art indicates a significant cultural and historical perspective regarding human-animal interactions during the late Ice Age. The timing of the art’s creation, coinciding with a major climatic transition, reflects not only the challenges faced by early humans but also their adaptation strategies within a transforming ecosystem. This artwork serves as a vital piece of evidence showcasing the complex relationship between early human populations and the now-extinct megafauna that roamed the region, contributing to our understanding of biodiversity and prehistoric human behavior in the Amazon.
The discovery of Ice Age rock art in the Amazon rainforest underscores the intricate relationship between early humans and their environment, revealing their coexistence with extinct species. Through art, these ancient inhabitants recorded their experiences and adaptations during a period of dramatic climatic change. The study emphasizes the importance of this rock art in understanding human history in relation to environmental shifts in the Amazon.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
