Cross-Dating (Th/U-14C) of Calcite Covering Prehistoric Paintings at Serra da Capivara National Park, Piaui, Brazil

A study using cross-dating techniques (Th/U and AMS 14C) on calcite deposits covering prehistoric paintings at Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil, suggests that these paintings may be younger than previously proposed. The research, published in Radiocarbon, analyzed samples from three rockshelters, including Toca da Gameleirinha (Pedra Pintada), and found ages younger than 12,000 years for the calcite formations. This challenges earlier estimates that suggested much older dates (>35 kyr BP) based on thermoluminescence (TL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dating methods. The findings contribute to the ongoing debate about the age of rock art in the region and its implications for understanding human settlement in the Americas.

Fontugne, M. (2013). Cross-Dating (Th/U-14C) of Calcite Covering Prehistoric Paintings at Serra da Capivara National Park, Piaui, Brazil. Radiocarbon, 55(3–4). https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16254