World’s Oldest Rock Drawings Deciphered in Iran

Local Editor

An Iranian archeologist succeeded to decipher Iran's ancient rock art after years of spending time across the country's hills and deserts.

Dutch enthusiasts who visited the area with Naserifard, Iranian archeologist, in 2008 dated the cup marks to more than 40,000 years ago, putting them among the oldest rock art on the planet. But getting definitive data has been all but impossible for Iranian archaeologists.

"We were on a picnic and all my friends were taking an afternoon nap. I went wandering and observing the rocks in the valley and I found a rock full of shapes," he said. "I was so excited! Finding these works was like finding a treasure, "Naserifard stated.

"His work is really important; there have been these blank spots on the map that we are finally starting to fill in," said Genevieve von Petzinger, a Canadian cave art expert and author of "The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols."

The engravings could even date back to when humans made their first forays out of Africa, she said.

Naserifard's discoveries support the growing evidence that humans may have started to develop a common art tradition before leaving Africa, which might explain why the same themes and shapes have turned up in sites as far-flung as California, Spain and South Africa.

"Iran could be a really important part of the puzzle. It is a very strategic location, humans migrated through there heading both east and west," said von Petzinger.

The Khomein hills are typical of rock art locations around the world - a once-fertile riverside spot that supported sizeable settlements.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team