A 200-year-old rock painting discovered in South Africa may provide evidence for the existence of a legendary horned serpent.

According to Daily Mail, archaeologist Julien Benoit from the University of the Witwatersrand uncovered the intriguing artwork at La Belle France, a rock art site in northern South Africa.

The painting depicts a long-bodied creature with downward-turned tusks, unlike any living animal in the region today.

An analysis of the painting revealed that it was created between 1821 and 1835 by the indigenous San people. This discovery is significant as it predates the first formal scientific descriptions of the horned serpent by about ten years, with the earliest known records dating to 1845.

Ancient Legends and Scientific Discoveries Converge

In San mythology, the horned serpent was believed to be a "rain animal" from the spirit realm, likely playing a role in rain-making ceremonies. However, scientists like Benoit speculate that this mythical creature may have been inspired by real dicynodont fossils found in the region.

Dicynodonts were extinct terrestrial herbivores that roamed the Earth from the Middle Permian through the end of the Triassic periods. These creatures typically had a pair of tusks, which gave them their name meaning "two dog tooth."

The painting's location is particularly intriguing, as it was found in close proximity to unidentified tetrapod fossils. This combination of artistic depiction and fossil evidence suggests a case of what Benoit calls "indigenous paleontology."

Cultural Interpretations of Prehistoric Remains

Benoit's findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, highlight the possibility that ancient cultures had a deeper understanding of prehistoric life than previously thought. He suggests that many cultures explored the world of fossils before Western scientists.

The researcher told IFLScience:

The Native Americans knew about fossils before colonization and interpreted them in various ways, some implying they knew they belonged to long-gone animals. The San, in southern Africa, also collected fossils, as exemplified by the Bolahla rock shelter, in which they carried a dinosaur phalanx – which may be, by the way, the first time a dinosaur bone was ever discovered.

This discovery not only sheds light on ancient artistic practices but also provides insight into how prehistoric findings were integrated into indigenous belief systems.

Implications for Understanding Ancient Knowledge

The painting's connection to rain-making ceremonies offers a fascinating glimpse into how extinct species may have been incorporated into spiritual practices.

Benoit hypothesizes that the San may have chosen to depict a dicynodont because, as an extinct species, it was believed to have increased potency in bridging the world of the living and the dead during these rituals.

While this single painting is not definitive proof of the horned serpent's existence, it opens up new avenues for research into ancient knowledge and interpretations of prehistoric life. The unidentified fossils found near the painting site could potentially provide more concrete evidence if they are confirmed to be dicynodont remains.

Further investigation is needed to determine whether the legendary horned serpent was based on actual prehistoric creatures or purely mythical constructs.

This discovery highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in archaeology, combining artistic, cultural, and paleontological evidence to piece together a more comprehensive understanding of ancient perceptions of the natural world.

Why This Story Matters

The integration of legends with paleontological evidence provides a unique look into how humans historically interpreted the natural world around them. As this story unfolds, it invites us to rethink our perceptions of mythology and history, realizing that often, these stories may be grounded in historical truths that have yet to be fully understood.

In a world quick to demarcate the line between science and myth, findings like these blur these boundaries, offering new insights into the human condition and the world that shaped it.

Conclusion

The 200-year-old rock painting discovered in South Africa depicts a creature resembling a horned serpent, potentially linking ancient myths to real prehistoric animals. This finding suggests that indigenous cultures had sophisticated knowledge of extinct species, integrating them into their spiritual beliefs and artistic expressions. While more research is needed to confirm the connection between the painting and actual fossils, this discovery opens up exciting possibilities for understanding ancient interpretations of prehistoric life.