Stunning rock art discovered, revealing humans settled in Colombia 13,000 years ago

Researchers have discovered that the first people to settle in the Amazon basin arrived around 13,000 years ago in a mass migration that quickly swept across the Americas.

Rock art found at Serranía de la Lindosa, an archaeological site on the northern edge of the Colombian Amazon. (Photo: University of Exeter)

After arriving at what is now Serranía de la Lindosa, an archaeological site on the northern edge of the Colombian Amazon, these early Americans lived in rock shelters, crafted stone tools, hunted, gathered, and created massive works of rock art, according to a new study published in the March issue of the journal Science.

Although it was previously known that the area had been occupied by humans since at least 12,600 years ago, evidence from rock art has allowed researchers to gain a better understanding of how the area was used.

“The people of South America represent one of the great migrations in human history – but their arrival in the Amazon is poorly understood,” said Mark Robinson, associate professor of archaeology at the University of Exeter in the UK. “For researchers working in the field, dense tropical forests make fieldwork difficult. Furthermore, acidic, clay soils reduce the ability to preserve organic remains. However, our recent excavations provide a better understanding of the region, not just its chronology. They date back much earlier than previously understood, and provide new insights into their lives and historical trajectories during the Holocene, the epoch after the last ice age that began 11,700 years ago.”

For the new study, archaeologists collected soil samples from two rock shelters in the area. The team analyzed the stratigraphy, or layers, of the sediment and found different layers containing rock fragments, charcoal, and high levels of organic matter that suggested food preparation, consumption, and disposal, according to the statement.

The analysis revealed periods when the shelters were completely abandoned – in some cases for more than a millennium. In the soil, the researchers discovered 3,000-year-old pottery, 2,500-year-old evidence of land cultivation, and 500-year-old maize traces, according to the study. The analysis also revealed how early the sites were used.

José Iriarte, professor of archaeology at the University of Exeter, said: “The results confirm that human occupation of Serranía La Lindosa began in the late Pleistocene, around 12,600 years ago, and continued until the 17th century. Rock shelters found in the area show evidence of human habitation in the area, an attractive landscape for foraging groups.”

There they had access to lush rainforests, savannas and rivers for hunting and gathering, he added.

In addition to soil samples, archaeologists also excavated animal bones, plant remains, and ochre for analysis in future studies.