September 20, 15:00
Drawing of a dicynodont made by the San Indians in the early 19th century (Photo: Julien Benoi)
A study published September 18, 2024, in the journal PLOS ONE suggests that a mysterious fanged animal depicted in San rock art in South Africa may be an ancient, extinct species.
Scientist Julien Benoit from the University of Witwatersrand discovered similarities between the image and fossils of dicynodonts, ancient animals that lived in the region millions of years ago.
In panels «“Horned Snake”, created between 1821 and 1835, depicts animal and cultural elements characteristic of San art. One of the most unusual figures is a creature with an elongated body and downward-curving fangs, which does not correspond to any modern species. Benoit suggests that the San people may have been inspired by fossils widely found in the Karoo Basin, where dicynodont remains are often found.
Interestingly, the drawing was likely created 10 years before Western scientists first described and named dicynodonts. If this image is indeed based on fossil observations, it indicates that indigenous people in South Africa used ancient fossils to create their myths and art long before the advent of paleontology as a science.
This research opens up new perspectives on how people around the world interacted with fossils and incorporated them into their culture and worldview. As Julien Benoit noted: “This confirms that San hunter-gatherers discovered and interpreted fossils, incorporating them into their beliefs and art.”
