Archaeology by Anne Merrie-Pessis, Introduction

Cardao, Messias' Cave, Carnaúba dos Dantas-RN, Brazil

Archaeology by Anne Merrie-Pessis

The Northeast Tradition

The number of Archaeological sites with prehistoric rock art paintings grows steadly throughtout the world as new site are found. The first paintings discovered, decorating the caves of France and Spain, just only smallest part of the totality of Rock art know today. But the discoveries of those caves was also the beginning of awareness of existence of Prehistoric Cultural Heritage of which modern society had no idea. Since then of the 19th century, when the first discoveries took place, much progress has been made.

Research on Prehistoric Rock Paintings has been carried out in several parts of the world and policies have been established for the protection of these cultural vestiges of the past, which are sometimes much degraded and in danger of disappearing.

There are dense concentration of prehistoric archaeological site in the Serra da Capivara National Park and other places in Northeastern Brazil. Hundreds of sites with prehistoric paintings and engravings have been discovered since the 70’. He tasks of Research and Maintenance of the Cultural Heritage resulted in new discoveries and a constant increase in volume of Graphic collection in this region. Due to the importance of this prehistoric Heritage an need to protect it, the Federal Government of Brazil created the Serra da Capivara National Park from Brazil and French researchers working for the scientific mission in Piaui State.

By Anne Merrie Pessis