After visiting Germany, Rio de Janeiro and Maceió, the DFG photo exhibition is now on show at Sesc Distrito Federal.

(22.05.19) Serra da Capivara National Park in the state of Piauí in northeastern Brazil is famous for its archaeological sites and impressive rock art, which have earned it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recent research suggests that the rock paintings, which are thousands of years old, may be the oldest traces of settlement in the Americas. On 6 May, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) in partnership with the German embassy and Sesc opened an exhibition on Serra da Capivara in Distrito Federal.

The exhibition “The Brazilian World Heritage Site of Serra da Capivara – The Oldest Traces of Settlement in America?” illustrates the work of archaeologists and the region’s fascinating biodiversity and culture. The photographs were taken by photojournalist André Pessoa from Pernambuco, who specialises in nature and science photography.

The documentary “Sensational Find in Brazil – the Oldest Americans” from the series Terra X is also being shown during the exhibition. Produced by ZDF, the film won the VerCiência prize in 2018 and explores the latest archaeological finds and research in the region. Among other things, it presents a DFG-funded research project on the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture in South America, which is being undertaken by researchers from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in partnership with the foundation of the Museu do Homem Americano (FUMDHAM).

In Germany the exhibition has been shown in Berlin and Bonn, while in Brazil it has visited Maceió and the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow) in Rio de Janeiro, attracting thousands of visitors. It will now be on show at three SESC centres in Brazil’s Federal District (Distrito Federal), showcasing the scientific value and priceless importance of this research both in Brazil and internationally – research that has awoken the interest of researchers all over the world, because the finds in Serra da Capivara provide a vital glimpse of the history, or rather prehistory, of humanity.

Exhibition: The Brazilian World Heritage Site of Serra da Capivara – The Oldest Traces of Settlement in America?

• 6 - 26 May – Sesc Gama
  (Admission free from 8 am to 5 pm. School groups by prior arrangement.)
• 3 – 23 June – Sesc Taguatinga Norte
• 1 – 21 July – Sesc Ceilândia