"Signal or warning"

Probably the largest rock engravings in the world discovered

The petroglyphs - rock paintings carved in stone from prehistoric times - depict human figures, giant Amazonian centipedes and, above all, snakes.

(Bild: Don Perucho – stock.adobe.com/Cambridge University Press/Antiquity Publications Ltd, Krone KREATIV)

What are believed to be the largest prehistoric rock carvings in the world have been discovered in South America. The engravings, which are several dozen meters long and were carved into the rock faces along the Upper and Middle Orinoco River in Venezuela and Colombia, are said to depict a giant snake.

Other so-called petroglyphs - rock carvings from prehistoric times - show human figures and giant Amazonian centipedes.

The largest engraving measures more than 40 meters, reports the research team from Bournemouth University, University College London and the Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) in the journal "Antiquity".

"These monumental sites are really large and impressive, and we believe they were meant to be seen from a distance," Philip Riris, lead author and lecturer in archaeological environmental modeling at Bournemouth University, is quoted as saying.

Probably more than 2000 years old
Prehistoric groups may have used the engravings "to mark their territory and let people know that they lived here and that appropriate behavior was expected". The petroglyphs, some of which were already known, could have been made up to 2000 years ago, but could also be older.

The petroglyphs could have been created up to 2000 years ago, but could also be older.

(Bild: Cambridge University Press/Antiquity Publications Ltd)

Warning in snake form
Many of the largest engravings show snakes, which according to the researchers are probably king boas or anacondas, which played an important role in the myths and beliefs of the local indigenous population. "Snakes are generally perceived as very threatening, so the location of the petroglyphs could be a signal to behave in these places."