Ancient Rock Art of Anthropomorphic Figure With Oversized Phallus Found in Central Brazil
Posted on February 23, 2012
Researchers have found some ancient rock art in Brazil. The art includes an extremely old and odd looking anthropomorphic figure found engraved in the bedrock of Lapa do Santo, an archaeological site located in Central Brazil.
The researchers say the data suggests the the anthropomorphic figure is the oldest reliably dated figurative petroglyph ever found in the New World. The petroglyph is estimated to be between 9,000 and 12,000 years old. You can see a larger version of the image here.
The rock art was found in July 2009, during the final days of excavation in Lapa do Santo. The anthropomorphic figure was exposed at the bottom of the archaeological deposit about four meters below the surface. The figure was pecked in the bedrock and consisted of a small anthropomorphic filiform petroglyph with tri-digits, a c-like head, and an oversized phallus. The phallus was drawn next to the feet of the anthropomorphic figure. The figure is 30 cm long (from head to feet) and 20 cm wide. Similar filiform figures were observed in a niche on the wall of the rock-shelter.
The authors of this study, led by Walter Neves of the University of Sao Paulo, write that their findings suggest symbolic thought in South America was very diverse at that time. The anthropomorphic rock figure would also support the hypothesis that humans settled the New World relatively early.
The research was published in PLoS One: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0032228.
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