An extreme drought in the Amazon that drastically lowered river levels, exposed ancient rock carvings at the Lajes Archaeological Site near Manaus, Brazil. These engravings, mostly depicting human faces with varied expressions, date back around 2,000 years but are typically submerged by the Negro River. First discovered during a drought in 2010, the carvings re-emerged in October 2023 as the river reached its lowest level in 121 years, driven by a severe drought intensified by El Niño.
As the Amazon River water level drops to record lows due to drought, human faces carved into rocks more than a thousand years ago have been revealed.
These drawings were found in the city of Manaus in northern Brazil and were studied by local archaeologists. They are thought to date back to the pre-colonial period and reflect the culture of the indigenous people living in this region.
In this article, we will look at how these drawings came about, what they mean, and the causes and consequences of the drought in Brazil.
Why did the water level in the Amazon river drop?
A severe drought in Brazil has caused water levels in the Rio Negro and Solimoes rivers, two of the Amazon’s most important tributaries, to drop to their lowest points in history.
On the coastline known as Ponta das Lajes, where these rivers flow into the Amazon, faces carved into rocks that normally remain submerged have come to light.
The Brazilian government blames the drought on climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon, a weather phenomenon that causes temperatures in the Pacific Ocean to rise. This has caused rainfall in the northern Amazon to fall below historical averages and river levels to reach their lowest levels ever.
The weather event known as El Nino, which causes the planet to warm for 1-2 years, began in the Pacific Ocean in June.
The drought in Brazil is causing serious problems for both people and nature. It is disrupting vital activities such as river navigation, fishing, agriculture, energy production and water supply. It is also causing an increase in forest fires and a decrease in biodiversity.
Who made the ancient face drawings in the Amazon River?
It is estimated that the faces carved into the rocks were made by indigenous people living in this region before the discoveries of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
“This is a pre-colonial site with evidence of settlement from between one thousand and two thousand years ago. Here we see representations of anthropomorphic figures,” archaeologist Jaime Oliveira told local media.
Another rock with carvings is thought to have been used by locals to sharpen their arrows.
The meaning and function of these drawings are not fully known. Some archaeologists suggest they were made for religious or ritual purposes, while others suggest they are abstract works of art.
These drawings were last seen in 2010, when the water level in the Rio Negro dropped to 13.63 meters. On Sunday, the water level dropped below 13 meters for the first time, and on Monday, it dropped to 12.89 meters.
This allowed these drawings to be seen more clearly and discovered in greater numbers.
These drawings are considered an important part of Brazil’s cultural heritage and efforts are being made to preserve them.
The discovery of these drawings, in addition to the difficulties brought about by the drought in Brazil, also presented a historic opportunity, thanks to which one of the hidden secrets of the Amazon River was brought to light.
