Water levels have dropped in some parts of the Amazon, exposing some submerged rock formations. The rock engravings surprised the experts and residents.
Rock Carvings in Negro River Exposed Due to Extreme Drought
Numerous normally buried rock formations with human carvings that may date back about 2,000 years have been made visible due to a severe drought that has caused river water levels in some areas of the Amazon to decrease dramatically. Longtime Manaus resident Livia Ribeiro said she had heard about the rock carvings from friends and had been curious to see them.
She admitted that she had never witnessed such and initially assumed it was unreal. Ribeiro has resided in Manaus for 27 years.
The Negro River, whose flow this week reached its lowest level in 121 years, usually covers the rock engravings, making them invisible. Both experts and the general public have been excited by the discovery of the engravings on the riverside, but it has also brought up troubling issues.
According to Ribeiro, they inspected the engravings and found them lovely. However, it is equally concerning since she wasn't sure whether this river would still exist in 50 or 100 years.
The carvings make up an archaeological site of "great relevance," according to Jaime Oliveira of the Brazilian Institute of Historical Heritage (Iphan). They were originally spotted in 2010 during a less severe drought than the one currently occurring at a location known as Praia das Lajes.
The Negro River flows close by, its waters low and brownish, and the rock carvings are set against a background of lush vegetation. The majority of the engravings feature smiling or unhappy human faces, some of which are oval and others rectangular.
"The site expresses emotions, feelings, it is an engraved rock record, but it has something in common with current works of art," Oliveira added.
Unfortunately, it is now resurfacing with the deepening of the drought, according to historian and Iphan member Beatriz Carneiro. Praia das Lajes has an "inestimable" importance in comprehending the first people who occupied the region, a field that is still poorly investigated. However, Carneiro believed that the rock carvings are safer when submerged than their efforts in preserving them.
Water Shortage Worldwide
Several rivers worldwide have experienced extreme drought based on their water level. NASA Earth Observatory released photos of the Mississippi River from Sept. 10, 2021, and Sept. 16, 2023, revealing that the river is disappearing due to the summer and fall of 2023's extreme heat and protracted drought; the Mississippi River has been drying up. Months of extreme heat and drought in 2023's summer and early fall forced it to dry. Low water levels in September made barge deliveries upriver difficult and endangered certain Louisianan regions' drinking water supply.
Additionally, Lake Mead's water levels have dropped. The reservoir's water level was 1,065.71 feet as of Oct. 6. In the middle of September, the water level was at 1,066.46 feet.
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