South America's Rock Art Could Have Marked Territory
South America's Rock Art Could Have Marked Territory June 5, 2024, a Wednesday Source archaeology.org London, United Kingdom —A recent analysis of rock engravings near the Atures Rapids on the Orinoco River in Colombia and Venezuela indicates that they might have been used to transmit territorial borders more than 2,000 years ago, according to a statement issued by Antiquity. Drone imagery was used by Philip Riris of Bournemouth University and his associates, in collaboration with local guides, to map artworks at 14 sites throughout the river basin. While some of these rock art locations were found during the research, others were already known to exist. The pictures, which feature representations of snakes longer than 130 feet, are similar to designs found on ceramics found nearby. According to Riris, "we know that anacondas and boas are seen as lethal beings that can kill people a