Abstract

The Serrote do Letreiro Site, found on the northwest periphery of the Sousa Basin, Brazil, presents a remarkable convergence of paleontological and archaeological elements. It is constituted of sub-horizontal "lajeiros", or rock outcrops, intermingled with endemic Caatinga vegetation. The three prominent outcrops feature fossilized footprints of theropod, sauropod, and iguanodontian dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Period. Adjacent to these dinosaur tracks, indigenous petroglyphs adorn the surface. The petroglyphs, mainly characterized by circular motifs, maintain a striking resemblance to other petroglyphs found in the states of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. This study primarily endeavors to delineate the site's major characteristics while concentrating on the relationship between the dinosaur footprints and the petroglyphs. It concurrently assesses the preservation status of this invaluable record, shedding light on its implications for the realms of paleontology, archaeology, and cultural heritage studies.

Details

Title
A remarkable assemblage of petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints in Northeast Brazil
Author
Troiano, Leonardo P. 1 ; dos Santos, Heloísa B. 2 ; Aureliano, Tito 3 ; Ghilardi, Aline M. 4 

 The National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute, Brasília, Brazil 
 Institute of Cariri Archaeology Dr. Rosiane Limaverde, Casa Grande Foundation, Nova Olinda, Brazil 
 Regional University of Cariri (URCA), Department of Zoology, Crato, Brazil (GRID:grid.412405.6) (ISNI:0000 0000 9823 4235); Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Diversity, Ichnology and Osteohistology Laboratory (DINOLab), Department of Geology, Natal, Brazil (GRID:grid.411233.6) (ISNI:0000 0000 9687 399X) 
 Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Diversity, Ichnology and Osteohistology Laboratory (DINOLab), Department of Geology, Natal, Brazil (GRID:grid.411233.6) (ISNI:0000 0000 9687 399X) 
Pages
6528
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2963023595
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. corrected publication 2024. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.