The famous Ingá stone, in the hinterland of Paraíba, is an archaeological site that still defies research. No one has yet managed to decipher the meaning and origin of the rock carvings of the isolated monolith, which is 24 meters wide by 3 meters high and sits on the waters of the Ingá de Bacamarte River – a condition that has always prevented archaeological excavations. More:as the drawings were not painted (they are in low relief), their dating is complex. “The beauty of the place and the impossibility of studies feed a series of fantasies about the identity of the ancient inhabitants”, explains Spanish archaeologist Gabriela Martins, author of the book Prehistory of Northeast Brazil.
Now, this unprecedented nocturnal record of the rock has helped the researcher to better understand the site.
Special lighting revealed details not noticeable in natural light. In some points they became quite clear, for example, the wear and the overlapping of engravings - which demonstrates the antiquity of the stone for artistic use. “Many of these drawings may have been made at night, and Ingá may have been a place of worship”, adds Gabriela.
Curiosities