- Title: BRAZIL: Ancient etchings found along river rocks in Brazil's Amazonas state
- Date: 14th November 2010
- Summary: MANUAS, BRAZIL (NOVEMBER 12, 2010) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF NEGRO RIVER WHERE IT MEETS THE SOLIMOES RIVER VARIOUS OF RIVER SYSTEM AND ROCKS VARIOUS OF RESIDENT OF AREA AND FIRST PERSON TO DOCUMENT ETCHINGS WALTER CALHEIROS WALKING OVER THE ROCKS, TAKING PICTURES VARIOUS OF ANCIENT ETCHINGS FOUND ON ROCKS THAT ARE USUALLY SUBMERGED UNDER WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FIRST PERSON TO FIND ETCHING WALTER CALHEIROS SAYING "If they appeared to us because of the low waters now, and we are able to see them, that means we are able to pick up their line of communication. (When I first saw them) I felt, even with a heavy rains storm going on at the time, that I was not alone." SHOT OF BOAT IN WATER, PAN TO ETCHING ON ROCK VARIOUS OF USUALLY SUBMERGED ETCHINGS VARIOUS OF RESEARCHERS ON SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) ARCHAEOLOGIST DR. HELENA LIMA OF THE AMAZONAS UNIVERSITY SAYING "The discovery of these etchings shows that they were possibly made much prior to (known) occupations in the area, so it really expands the chronological range of use of this location." VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS POINTING OUT ETCHINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) ARCHAEOLOGIST RAUNIR VALE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO, SAYING "We need to think of this entire rock formation as a cultural landmark for analysis, not just these marking, but the whole thing in context, here in front of the meeting of the waters, with a large amount of ceramic sites behind here dating to some 2,000 years. There are a number of relevant items within this context and these marking are just one element of it. We need to think not only of the cultural markings but of the cultural landscape." VARIOUS OF OTHER MARKINGS GENERAL VIEW OF EXPOSED ROCKS IN RIVER BOATS IN RIVER ETCHING
- Embargoed: 29th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVA6JE556LKO43KQULV5XXJYWU60
- Story Text: As Manaus struggles in the grip of a strangling drought, Brazilian archaeologists are excited about the discovery of etchings on a series of rocks that are usually submerged in the Negro River.
The drought has caused the world's largest black-water river to fall to 13.63 metres (45 feet), its lowest since records began in 1902. This is in stark contrast to last year's record high of 29.77 metres (98 feet).
But as the drought caused water levels to fall, rocks usually submerged in the murky waters became exposed, yielding etchings that could possibly be some 7,000 years old.
Walter Calheiros races across the rocks and photographs them as reports have indicated the water levels are expected to rise again.
"If they appeared to us because of the low waters now, and we are able to see them, that means we are able to pick up their line of communication. (When I first saw them) I felt, even with a heavy rains storm going on at the time, that I was not alone," Calheiros said on Friday (November 12).
Archaeologist Dr. Helena Lima of Amazonas University told Reuters Television the etchings could show evidence of the region's occupation during a time much earlier than previously recorded.
"The discovery of these etchings shows that they were possibly made much prior to (known) occupations in the area, so it really expands the chronological range of use of this location," she said.
The discovery also raised concerns among experts that a bridge planned for the river could alter the area which has yielded numerous archaeological sites.
"We need to think of this entire rock formation as a cultural landmark for analysis, not just these marking, but the whole thing in context, here in front of the meeting of the waters, with a large amount of ceramic sites behind here dating to some 2,000 years. There are a number of relevant items within this context and these marking are just one element of it. We need to think not only of the cultural markings but of the cultural landscape," Raunir Vale of the University of Sao Paulo, said.
Amazonas state authorities have said the drought emergency has affected some 62,000 people in 40 municipal areas and that 600 tons of food aid has been distributed by plane and boat.
The drought fits a pattern of more extreme weather in the world's largest rain fores in recent years. Last year, the region was hit by widespread flooding and in 2005 it endured a devastating drought.
Some scientists say that this year's drought may have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon in 2009 and an active hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean that may have pulled moisture from the south. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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