Serra da Capivara National Park
{{short description|National park of Brazil}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Serra da Capivara National Park
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Canoas_-_Vale_Verde.JPG
| photo_caption =
| location = Piauí, Brazil
| coords = {{coord|8|40|S|42|33|W|region:UG_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}
| map = Brazil
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Location of Serra da Capivara National Park
| area_km2 = 1291.4
| established =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body =
| embedded1 = {{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
| child = yes
| criteria = {{UNESCO WHS type|(iii)}}(iii)
| ID = 606
| year = 1991
}}
}}
Serra da Capivara National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara, {{IPA|pt|ˈpaʁki nɐsjoˈnaw ˈsɛʁɐ dɐ kɐpiˈvaɾɐ|IPA}}) is a national park in the Northeastern region of Brazil. The area has many prehistoric paintings.
The name of the mountain range that defines the park, "Serra da Capivara," literally means "Capybara Hills" in Portuguese. This area has the largest and the oldest concentration of prehistoric sites in the Americas.{{cite web |url=https://www.revistas.usp.br/guspsc/article/download/54077/58007/ |title=Quaternary deposits in the Serra da Capivara National Park and surrounding area, Southeastern Piauí state, Brazil |publisher=University of São Paulo |access-date=6 May 2019 |date=December 2012 |author=Janaina C. Santos1, Alcina Magnólia Franca Barreto2, Kenitiro Suguio}}{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/606 |title=Serra da Capivara National Park |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=6 May 2019}} Scientific studies confirm that the Capivara mountain range was densely populated in the pre-Cabraline Era.{{cite web|title=Discoveries Challenge Beliefs on Humans' Arrival in the Americas|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/world/americas/discoveries-challenge-beliefs-on-humans-arrival-in-the-americas.html|work=New York Times|date=March 27, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2014|first=Simon|last=Romero|authorlink= Simon Romero}}
Location
It is located in northeast state of Piauí, between latitudes 8° 26' 50" and 8° 54' 23" south and longitudes 42° 19' 47" and 42° 45' 51" west. It falls within the municipal areas of São Raimundo Nonato, São João do Piauí, Coronel José Dias and Canto do Buriti. It has an area of 1291.4 square kilometres (319,000 acres).
The Capivara-Confusões Ecological Corridor, created in 2006, links the park to the Serra das Confusões National Park.{{citation|language=pt|ref={{harvid|Serras da Capivara e das Confusões serão unidas por corredor ecológico}} |title=Serras da Capivara e das Confusões serão unidas por corredor ecológico|date=11 March 2005|publisher=MMA
|url=http://www.meioambiente.gov.br/informma/item/2435-serras-da-capivara-e-das-confusoes-serao-unidas-por-corredor-ecologico|access-date=2016-11-04}}
History
file:Pedra Furada - Serra da Capivara I.jpg]]
The park was created to protect the prehistoric artifacts and paintings found there. It became a World Heritage Site in 1991. Its head archaeologist is Niède Guidon. Its best known archaeological site is Pedra Furada.
Scientific studies confirm that the Capivara mountain range was densely populated in the pre-Columbian Era.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}
A newer site is Toca da Tira Peia, where the stone tools found may date to as early as 22,000 years ago. The site has been dated through optically stimulated luminescence.{{cite journal|last1=Lahaye|first1=Christelle|last2=Hernandez|first2=Marion|last3=Boëda|first3=Eric|last4=Felice|first4=Gisele D.|last5=Guidon|first5=Niède|authorlink5=Niède Guidon|last6=Hoeltz|first6=Sirlei|last7=Lourdeau|first7=Antoine|last8=Pagli|first8=Marina|last9=Pessis|first9=Anne-Marie|last10=Rasse|first10=Michel|last11=Viana|first11=Sibeli|title=Human occupation in South America by 20,000 BC: the Toca da Tira Peia site, Piauí, Brazil|journal=Journal of Archaeological Science|volume=40|issue=6|year=2013|pages=2840–2847|issn=0305-4403|doi=10.1016/j.jas.2013.02.019}}
Other important archaeological sites in the area are Toca da Pena, Baxao da Esperanca, and Sitio do Meio. Lapa do Boquete site is located directly south.German Dziebel, [http://anthropogenesis.kinshipstudies.org/2013/04/the-toca-da-tira-peia-site-and-the-end-of-the-ice-age-in-american-archaeology/ THE TOCA DA TIRA PEIA SITE AND THE END OF AN ICE AGE IN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY.] Anthropogenesis, April 24, 2013 (see map)
Wildlife
Bearded capuchins in the park have been found to have the "largest known tool kit for wild capuchin monkeys".{{cite journal |last=Falótico |first=Tiago |last2=Siqueira |first2=José O. |last3=Ottoni |first3=Eduardo B. |date=2017 |title=Digging up food: excavation stone tool use by wild capuchin monkeys |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=7 |issue=1 |page= |doi=10.1038/s41598-017-06541-0 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=5524703 |pmid=28740211}} Their stone tools include those for foraging, threat, and sexual displays, while they use sticks as tools for probing. Further, while on the ground, they dig with their hands after loosening the soil with stone tools for roots and arthropods.{{cite journal |last=Falótico |first=Tiago |last2=Siqueira |first2=José O. |last3=Ottoni |first3=Eduardo B. |date=2017 |title=Digging up food: excavation stone tool use by wild capuchin monkeys |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=7 |issue=1 |page= |doi=10.1038/s41598-017-06541-0 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=5524703 |pmid=28740211}}
Sítio do Meio
Sítio do Meio is the second most important rock shelter in the area after Pedra Furada. It features fully Pleistocene dates and artefacts. The stone artefacts are better preserved because of the absence of waterfalls. At least 98 stone tools seem older than 12,500 BP. They belong to the Upper Pleistocenic phase of Pedra Furada 3.AIMOLA, Giulia et al. Final Pleistocene and Early Holocene at Sitio do Meio, Piauí, Brazil: Stratigraphy and comparison with Pedra Furada. Journal of Lithic Studies, [S.l.], v. 1, n. 2, p. 5-24, sep. 2014. ISSN 2055-0472. Available at:
Image:Serra da Capivara - Painting 7.JPG
Image:Serra da Capivara - Painting 8.JPG
Image:Serra da Capivara - Several Paintings 3.jpg
Image:Punições_(14205232887).jpg
Image:Sítio_Arqueológico_Serra_da_Capivara_IV.jpg
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- Eric Boëda, et al. (2014), [https://www.academia.edu/21682908/ Les Industries pléistocènes du Piaui. Nouvelles données] academia.edu
External links
{{commons category|Serra da Capivara National Park}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
- [https://artsandculture.google.com/story/wgWRzHhNso6r5w Explore Serra da Capivara National Park in the UNESCO collection on Google Arts and Culture]
- [http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/south_america/serra_da_capivara/index.php The Rock Art of Serra da Capivara]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310210558/http://www.mre.gov.br/cdbrasil/itamaraty/web/ingles/artecult/patrim/capivara/ Brazilian Ministry of External Relations information about park]
- [http://www.maria-brazil.org/serradacapivara.htm Photos of Serra da Capivara by Maria-Brazil]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110523100240/http://www.fumdham.org.br/pinturas.asp FUMDHAM - South-American Pre-Historic Men Foundation]
{{World Heritage Sites in Brazil}}
{{National park (Brazil)}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Archaeological sites in Brazil
Category:World Heritage Sites in Brazil
Category:National parks of Brazil
Category:Protected areas of Piauí