Ancient site · Rock art
Pedra Furada (Serra da Capivara)
Also known as Serra da Capivara National Park
A rock shelter at the heart of Serra da Capivara National Park in northeastern Brazil, part of a group of more than 800 sites with hundreds of rock paintings, some from about 12,000 years ago. Brazilian archaeologist Niède Guidon reported hearths and stone tools dated 48,000–32,000 years old, which would mean people reached the Americas extremely early.
That claim is still debated. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Dates
- rock paintings from c. 10,000 BCE; claimed traces 48,000–32,000 years old disputed
- Still standing
- Yes
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Yes
- Location
- 8.83° S, 42.55° W
How we know
The paintings and later camps are accepted, but claims that people lived here 48,000–32,000 years ago rest on charcoal and broken stones that many experts think could be natural.
Nearby sites
- Tiwanaku (early city) founded c. 100 CE (dates debated); peak c. 500–1000; abandoned c. 1050 CE
- Cahuachi c. 1–500 CE
- Nazca Lines c. 500 BCE – 500 CE
- Paracas cemeteries (Cerro Colorado) c. 800–100 BCE
- Chavín de Huántar c. 1200–500 BCE (dates debated)
- Caral (Sacred City of Caral-Supe) c. 2600–2000 BCE