What Do the World’s Biggest Rock Carvings Reveal?

Scientists have discovered intriguing new information about the planet’s biggest rock carvings, suggesting that these might have been created to delineate territory.

The pre-Hispanic (or pre-Columbian) carvings, whose exact age remains uncertain but might date back to prehistoric times, can be seen on rocks alongside the Upper and Middle sections of the Orinoco River in both Venezuela and Colombia.

Starting from 2015, a study led by José Oliver under the auspices of the University College London Institute of Archaeology has aimed to uncover the pre-Columbian habitation and historical narrative of the area.

Researchers have compiled an extensive database of over 100 rock art locations within the area—which includes both recognized sites and newly discovered ones—comprising thousands of individual designs, as stated by Philip Riris from Bournemouth University in the UK, who is one of the archaeologists working on this initiative.

"As for rock art, we believe this is merely scratching the surface," he said. Sites may consist of a single painting or engraving, or they could include hundreds of such motifs—there is considerable diversity among them.

A study released on Monday in the journal Antiquity Riris, Oliver, along with their collaborator Natalia Lozada Mendieta from the University of the Andes in Colombia, sought to investigate how monumental rock art contributed to the cultural landscape of the Middle Orinoco River region.

In their research, the group documented over a dozen monumental rock art locations using drone imagery and various methods. These sites are considered "monumental" because they dominate the surrounding scenery with specific large designs. While some had been previously identified, the team also uncovered several new examples during their investigation.

These locations feature some of the biggest monumental stone carvings globally, with certain ones stretching over 130 feet long.

The carvings feature images of humans alongside gigantic Amazonian centipedes. A significant number depict large snakes, likely boa constrictors or anacondas, which hold considerable significance in the spiritual practices of the area’s native peoples.

The biggest among all engravings is a serpent found at Cerro Pintado in Venezuela, stretching approximately 141 feet long (scientists were previously aware of this instance). The research group thinks it might be the most extensive singular stone carving ever documented globally.

"These monumental sites are truly big, impressive sites, which we believe were meant to be seen from some distance away," Riris said in a press release.

We understand that both anacondas and boas are linked to the creator deity of certain indigenous communities in the area, and they are also viewed as dangerous creatures capable of killing humans and sizable beasts.

In this research, the scientists suggest that the extensive carved monuments might have served pre-Columbian societies as markers for defining territories.

Riris explained that they view the significant rock carvings as a distinctive form of engraving that probably developed due to substantial interactions and exchanges among various Indigenous communities during the pre-Columbian era. .

Their presence might have served as indicators of identity, territory—or possibly both at once; effectively alerting individuals about their location relative to others' domains or signifying that they were amongst allies.

The researchers believe that the carvings were probably meant to convey messages to a broad audience encompassing various cultural origins.

"Snakes are typically seen as rather menacing creatures, which means the location of this rock art might indicate areas where one should exercise caution and behave respectfully," Riris stated in the press release.

According to Riris, the biggest among the massive stone carvings documented by the researchers—which span from around 65 feet to 141 feet in length—are unmatched worldwide when it comes to their scale. Additionally, both the dimensions of these large specimens and the high concentration and abundance of petroglyphs in this area contribute to making Orinoco rock art an unparalleled occurrence, as stated by the researcher.

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