Extreme drought in parts of the Amazon has caused river water levels to drop dramatically, resulting in the exposure of dozens of rocks normally found underwater containing depictions of human forms that may date back nearly 2,000 years. Livia Ribeiro, who has been living in Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, for a long time, said she heard about the petroglyphs from her friends and wanted to check them out.
“I thought it was a lie… I never saw it. “I lived in Manaus for 27 years,” said manager Ribeiro after examining the dazzling ruins.
The petroglyphs cannot normally be seen because they are covered by the waters of the Negro River, which last week reached its lowest level in 121 years. The discovery of the engravings on the banks of the river stunned scientists and the public, but also raised disturbing questions.
“We come and look at (the engravings) and think they are beautiful. But it’s also a concern… I also think about whether this river will exist in 50 years or in 100 years,” Ribeiro said. Drought in the Brazilian Amazon has reduced river levels significantly in recent weeks, creating a labyrinth of water for transportation and supplies. It affected a region dependent on roads.
The Brazilian government sent emergency aid to the region, where normally busy river banks were dry and full of stranded boats. This year’s dry season has been worsened by El Niño, an erratic climate pattern over the Pacific Ocean that disrupts normal weather and exacerbates the effects of climate change, experts said.
According to Jaime Oliveira of the Brazilian Historical Heritage Institute (Iphan), the engravings represent an archaeological site of “great importance”.
They are located in a place known as Praia das Lajes and were first detected in 2010, during another drought period that was not as severe as the current one. Rock paintings appear against the background of dense forest, and the low brown water of the Negro River flows nearby. Most of the engravings consist of human faces; some are rectangular, others oval, with smiles or stern expressions.
“The site expresses emotions and feelings, it is a carved petroglyph, but it has something in common with modern works of art,” Oliveira said.
According to historian and Iphan member Beatriz Carneiro, Praia das Lajes is of “invaluable” value in understanding the first people who lived in what remains an unexplored area.
“Unfortunately, it is reemerging as the drought worsens,” Carneiro said. “Remediating (flooding) our rivers and preserving the tracks underwater will help preserve them more than our work.”
Source: Port Altele
