20 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

In Brazil, researchers have made an extraordinary discovery of ancient rock art dating back over 9,000 years, found alongside dinosaur footprints from the Cretaceous Period, approximately 66 million years ago. This significant find took place in Serrote do Letreiro, located in the Sousa Basin.

The research has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Led by researchers Leonardo P. Troiano, Heloísa B. dos Santos, Tito Aureliano, and Aline M. Ghilardi, the study indicates that prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Brazil crafted enigmatic rock art designs, referred to as petroglyphs, alongside dinosaur footprints. These discoveries provide important insights into the relationship between paleontology and archaeology, especially at the Serrote site.

The study conducted by Leonardo P. Troiano and his team has uncovered important insights into ancient rock art in Brazil. Although the petroglyphs were initially discovered in 1975, it is only recently that researchers have found these carvings situated near substantial dinosaur footprints, aided by the cutting-edge application of drone technology. These footprints are thought to be from dinosaurs that roamed during the Cretaceous Period, which concluded approximately 66 million years ago.

The researchers propose that prehistoric humans intentionally placed these carvings next to the dinosaur prints, with some petroglyphs located just 2 to 4 inches away and potentially depicting the footprints themselves. This suggests that ancient people were not only aware of the footprints but also interacted with them meaningfully.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)
Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)

Leonardo Troiano, the study’s lead author and an archaeologist from Brazil’s National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, emphasized that the individuals who created the petroglyphs were likely drawn to the footprints, selecting the location specifically because of their presence.

Troiano noted that these ancient humans found the footprints significant, which aligns with the location of Serrote do Letreiro, or “Signpost Hill,” situated near the Valley of the Dinosaurs, a conservation area famous for its numerous fossilized dinosaur footprints.

In 2023, Troiano and his team conducted research with a group of middle-school students who helped survey the site. The students not only learned about the intersection of paleontology and archaeology but also assisted in photographing the specimens. The team identified tracks from various dinosaur types, including meat-eating theropods, long-necked sauropods, and two-legged ornithopods, such as iguanodontian dinosaurs.

The petroglyphs discovered primarily consist of circles filled with lines and other geometric shapes, attributed to humans who lived in the region between 9,400 and 2,620 years ago. Troiano described these ancient people as small, seminomadic groups of hunters and gatherers who utilized stone tools. The rock carvings were created using two techniques: perforation and scraping. Perforation involves using a stone hammer to create depressions, while scraping entails rubbing a stone against the surface to form engravings.

The petroglyphs offer crucial evidence about the historical population and shed light on the rituals and practices of that time. “I think rock art creation was embedded in some sort of ritual context: people gathering and creating something, perhaps utilizing some psychotropics,” said Troiano, adding that these people were interested in “what the footprints represent.”

Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)
Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)

Supporting Troiano’s hypothesis, Jan Simek, a distinguished professor of anthropology at the University of Tennessee, remarked that the study presents a compelling example of how ancient people observed and integrated fossils into their spiritual experiences and interpretations. He noted that this case exemplifies the human tendency to connect the spiritual realm with unexplained phenomena in the surrounding world.

Troiano, L.P., dos Santos, H.B., Aureliano, T. et al. A remarkable assemblage of petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints in Northeast Brazil. Sci Rep 14, 6528 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56479-3

Cover Image Credit: Journal Scientific Reports

Related Articles

Submerged Roman structure of concentric walls discovered on Italy’s western coast

3 June 2024

3 June 2024

Archaeologists have recently uncovered a significant Roman-era structure submerged near the coastline of Campo di Mare on Italy’s western coast....

Floor Mosaic of the Early Byzantine Period Unearthed in St Constantine and Helena Monastery Church in Ordu

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported that an in-situ floor mosaic was found at the St Constantine...

Ancient Elegance Revealed: Exquisite Jewelry and Amulets from the 26th Dynasty Discovered at Karnak

4 March 2025

4 March 2025

In a remarkable revelation that sheds light on ancient Egyptian craftsmanship, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, alongside the...

Researchers Suggest That the 5,000-Year-Old Boat-Shaped Mound May Be Fossilized Remains of Noah’s Ark

16 March 2025

16 March 2025

A recent discovery in Türkiye has ignited interest among experts who believe they may have found the fossilized remains of...

Archaeologists unearth the remains of three dozen headless people at a stone age settlement in Vráble, Slovakia

25 September 2022

25 September 2022

Archaeologists have unearthed a mass grave containing the remains of about three dozen headless bodies of people at a settlement...

Anthropologists discovered a bone in the Grotte du Renne cave in France that could indicate the presence of a previously unknown lineage of Homo sapiens

9 August 2023

9 August 2023

A bone discovered in the Grotte du Renne cave in France may represent the existence of a previously unknown lineage...

7.5 Million Annual Elephant Skulls Fossil Were Found in Turkey “Choerolophodon Pentelic”

17 March 2021

17 March 2021

A complete skull fossil from 7.5 million years ago was discovered on the bank of the Yamula Dam in the...

Ancient tomb discovered under parking lot greenery in Japan

16 September 2023

16 September 2023

Shrubbery intended to illuminate a corner of a nondescript parking lot in Japan’s Nara prefecture turned out to be hiding...

Perre Ancient City Set to Revive Its 1,800-Year-Old Grape Mill

26 January 2025

26 January 2025

In Perre, one of the five major cities of the Kingdom of Commagene, ancient production methods will meet today’s technology....

A 3,600-Year-Old Bronze Minoan Dagger Discovered in Antalya Underwater Excavation

29 August 2024

29 August 2024

A bronze dagger with silver rivets that dates to the Minoan civilization approximately 3,600 years ago was discovered during an...

Ancient Water Pipeline Unearthed on 65-Meter Hill in Tajikistan Reveals Engineering Marvel of the Past

19 August 2025

19 August 2025

Archaeologists in Tajikistan have made a groundbreaking discovery at the Mugtepa settlement in Istaravshan: an ancient water pipeline system, constructed...

Early Roman Aqueduct Discovered in Turkey’s Aydın Province

27 May 2021

27 May 2021

In the Kuşadasi region of western Turkey’s Aydin, archaeologists and scholars unearthed an approximately 2,000-year-old ancient Roman aqueduct. Experts believe...

The oldest evidence of human use of tobacco was discovered in Utah

11 October 2021

11 October 2021

According to recent research, burnt seeds discovered in the Utah desert suggest that humans used tobacco initially and that some...

4,000 Years of Wisdom: Women’s Rights and Inheritance in the Kültepe Tablets

8 March 2025

8 March 2025

The Kültepe Tablets, discovered in the ancient site of Kültepe (ancient Kanesh) in central Anatolia, are approximately 4,000 years old...

Archaeologists discovered a mausoleum dating back to Golden Horde era in Kazakhstan

8 July 2023

8 July 2023

Remains of a mausoleum dating back to the Golden Horde in the 15th century were discovered on the territory of...