Stone Tools and Artifacts at Ererê
摘要
This chapter explores the implications of surface and excavated finds above Serra da Lua, suggesting that ancient peoples may have utilized the area as a lithic source. Evidence indicates potential campsite features, including protected flat grounds for resting near rock art. Excavations revealed lithic artifacts showing signs of human alteration, including intentional paint markings and polished surfaces on the sandstone tools, although no definitive evidence of habitation was found. At Serra do Sol, a cache of duo-toned, “scorched” sandstone lithics suggests the unique features of these artifacts, which led them to being ritually stowed in a hole near the largest painting—which itself was a concentric circle that faced the summer solstice sunset. Chemical analyses of the artifacts reveal increased phosphorus and sulfur but this could be related to the purposeful application of a white to beige coating on some of the lithics before they were scorched.