Unprecedented Drought in Amazon Unveils Ancient Engravings

The Negro River, a significant watercourse traversing the Brazilian Amazon, has descended to unprecedentedly low levels, exposing ancient carvings that had been submerged for centuries.

The inscriptions, intricately carved into the dark stone lining the river’s banks, depict human visages, animals, and other shapes. According to archaeologists, these markings are estimated to be between 1,000 and 2,000 years old.

Jaime de Santana Oliveira, an archaeologist affiliated with Brazil’s National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute, stated that these engravings provide valuable insights into the lifestyles of prehistoric communities. Researchers also suspect that other stones at the site served as whetstones for refining arrows and stone implements.

The Ponto das Lajes archaeological location is situated in the rural outskirts of Manaus, the most populous city and administrative center of the Amazonas state. This vantage point offers an opportunity to witness the “Meeting of Waters,” a natural spectacle where the dark-hued Negro River runs parallel to the lighter, sediment-laden Solimoes River for an extended stretch, without blending together.

These petroglyphs were initially discovered in 2010 during a prior severe drought, but had remained submerged and unobservable until the present dry spell.

The reduced water levels in the Amazonas region have transformed once-navigable rivers into sprawling sandbars and mudflats, isolating numerous communities. Government agencies have been urgently delivering essential supplies like food and water to these cut-off populations in the recent weeks.

Earlier in the week, The Big Big News reported on the challenges of distributing basic necessities. Boats were compelled to anchor several miles from the shore, necessitating that residents—primarily small-scale farmers and fishermen—cover substantial distances on foot to collect these goods.

Manaus and its adjacent cities are currently grappling with elevated temperatures and pervasive smoke, a result of deliberate fires for deforestation and creating pastureland. The ongoing drought is also suspected to be responsible for a spate of river dolphin fatalities in Tefe Lake, in proximity to the Amazon River.

While seasonal dry periods are not uncommon in the Amazon, generally occurring from May to October, the severity of this year’s drought is exacerbated by two climatic anomalies: the warming of the waters in the northern tropical Atlantic Ocean and the El Niño event, characterized by elevated surface water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.

For more on climate-related developments, visit https://bigbignews.net/climate-and-environment

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Severe drought in Amazon

More about Severe drought in Amazon

• Brazil’s National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute
• Climate Phenomena and the Amazon
• The Big Big News Climate and Environment Section
• Manaus Government Updates
• Drought Impact on Amazon Communities
• Meeting of Waters Phenomenon
• Amazon River Dolphins