The existence of ancient cave paintings in Brazil have been revealed for the first time - two years after they were discovered by a climber in Rio de Janeiro.
The paintings, which could be up to 3,000 years old, were found in the Itatiaia National Park by park official Andres Conquista during a climbing expedition.
Conquista, who works as the operational supervisor of the park's upper region, first assumed the paintings to be tourist graffiti, but upon closer inspection, realized their potentially ancient origins.
He told Agência Brasil: "The first reaction was concern. I had never seen a cave painting before, so I didn’t know what it was.
"A few seconds later, I noticed there were no names or dates. That’s when I realized it could be something very old."
Although the discovery was made in 2023, it was kept secret while researchers worked to preserve the artwork and investigate its origins.
They're hopeful the discovery will lead to more ancient finds in the surrounding area.
Professor MaDu Gaspar told Agência Brasil: “Regions with shelters and caves featuring rock art are rarely isolated sites. We’re investing in exploring this area.
"This is just the beginning of the research. We’re uncovering a reality that was previously unknown to us."
Any potential meaning behind the red and yellow-lined paintings is currently unclear, but the find has seen it described as significant.
"We were surprised to come across an entirely new site. It's not that similar sites don't exist, they do, in places like Minas Gerais, but nothing like this had ever been found in Rio de Janeiro," Professor MaDu Gaspar explained to Agência Brasil.
The backcountry area where the paintings were discovered was cordoned off and researchers continue to investigate their origins and possible meaning.
There's no timeline for reopening the site, and anyone who's found to breach the restrictions will face heavy fines according to the park's press office.
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