Five New archaeological sites with panels of rock paintings that can be up to 2,000 years They were identified in Tocantins by researchers from the State University of the State (Unitins), through the Tocantins Nucleus of Archeology (Nuta).
In addition to the cave sites, Nuta’s team also identified a vulnerable ceramic site. The findings were conducted during research between 2023 and 2024.
Research has revealed several factors that contribute to the degradation of the sites, including: natural, such as wind and river erosion, rock display, peeling, exudation, fungal proliferation and weathering.
There are also anthropic factors such as graffiti, inappropriate use of archaeological and burned areas, which prove to be one of the most critical vectors, intensifying damage to rock surfaces and accelerating the deterioration of cave paintings.
Nuta is gathering documents to record the sites at the Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan), ensuring their legal protection and avoiding possible damage.
Nuta’s curator, Professor Genilson Nolasco, emphasized that research for the preservation of the region’s historical and cultural heritage is very important: “The absence of detailed records on the state of conservation of these sites showed the need for a survey to evaluate the accumulated damage over time, to understand the main vectors responsible for their degradation and propose strategies to minimize these impacts”.
Because of the discovery, the researchers proposed the adoption of measures for the physical reservation of the sites, the promotion of knowledge about this heritage and its importance for science, education, cultural identity, tourism and history of the region.
“The protection of these sites should go beyond material conservation and be understood as part of a broader process of valuing the territory and the cultural practices that are part of it,” says Professor Nolasco.
Professor Nolasco also highlights the importance of protecting the surrounding soil to the sites, where ceramic fragments, lithic tools and leaf removes can provide additional information about the archaeological context.
Although the estimate is that the rock arts are up to 2,000 years, more accurate analyzes are needed to confirm exact dating.
*Under supervision
This content was originally published in archaeological discovery reveals millennial rock paintings in Tocantins on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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