Researchers have identified what they believe is an ancient sand sculpture of a stingray, challenging the established timeline of human artistic expression, according to a new study published in the Rock Art Research journal.
A team of experts from Nelson Mandela University and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity used optically stimulated luminescence dating on the purported artwork, which was previously mistaken for a symmetrical rock formation along South Africa’s coast near Still Bay in 2018. Findings suggest an ammoglyph, or tracing made in sand that subsequently hardened into stone, a theory supported by the rock’s symmetrical features and surface grooves.
Per the new theory, some 130,000 years ago, a human traced a stingray found on the shore. The cultural significance of the animal is still to be determined: Stingrays could have been a valuable source of food, or a symbol that aided in early storytelling.
