British researchers have documented several tens of thousands of rock carvings in Colombia. They helped to better understand the history of the otherworldly beliefs of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon.

The drawings were made in ochre. The age of some of them, according to experts, reached 11 thousand years. They include hundreds of human figures, as well as an entire ecosystem of various animals, plants and geometric symbols.

According to scientists, ancient artists not only depicted the world around them, but also sought to convey "communication" with the other world. So, the people in their drawings turned into animals or plants. In many Amazonian cultures, there were myths about forest spirits who protect wildlife. For successful hunting, these spirits needed to be appeased. Scientists came to the conclusion that the aborigines drew the animal they needed on a rock, and then added other symbols – for example, those associated with fertility, reports mir24.tv.

Some animals themselves symbolized people, for example, jaguars were the "avatars" of shamans. They were also considered "guides" between the human world and the spirit world.

The scientists noted that they collaborated with indigenous elders in their research. This helped them better understand the meaning of the rock carvings.