Solar-Aligned Pictographs at the Paleoindian Site of Painel do Pilao along the Lower Amazon River at Monte Alegre, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: The archaeological sites near Monte Alegre, along Brazil's lower Amazon River, provide new information on the little-known activities and symbolism of South American Paleoindians toward the end of the Ice Age. While paleoindian sites like Monte Verde in Chile, or Guitarrero Cave in Peru, are located near the pacific coast, Monte Alegre lies much further inland, 680 km upriver from the mouth of the Amazon River and the Atlantic Coast. With excavated wood charcoal radiocarbon dated as early as 13,200 calibrated years ago, the hill-as a source of sandstone and quartz lithics-supplied early pioneers with adequate tools needed for colonizing the interior of the continent. Once there, they painted rock art on the landscape, which bears a record of the sun's horizon positions throughout the year.

SUBMITTER: Davis CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5173343 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature