Treasures of the Piauí

In the north-east of Brazil connected with the Piauí and Bom Jesus do Gurgeia regions, there is a physiographical meeting point between the plateaus that make up a chain of serras (cliffs, ridges) and an ancient plain that is the peripheral depression of the middle São Francisco, the most important river in the region. The area is a major watershed, including the river valley system of Riacho Toca da Onca, Riacho Baixo da Lima, Riacho Bom Jesus and the Gruta do Pinga. The semi-arid landscape here is typical of the transition zone between the central and the Atlantic provinces. An abrupt cuesta, cliffs up to 270 m high, forms the border between two contrasting geological zones: a plain to the south-east and mountain massifs to the north-east. A network of narrow gorges and canyons formed due to erosion caused by rivers stretches for almost 180 km. On the sandstone walls on both sides of these gorges, rock shelters were formed, in which are preserved the traces of paintings and engravings that make up their great archaeological wealth.

The recognition of this unique landscape of treasures led to the establishment of Serra da Capivara National Park in 1979. The goal was to preserve 302 archaeological vestiges of what is believed to be the most ancient settlement in South America. It covers an area of about 130,000 ha in the south-east of the state of Piauí and includes the cities of São Raimundo Nonato, São João do Piauí, Canto do Buriti, Brejo do Piauí and Coronel José Dias.