Lagoa Santa Caves

A system of caves in Minas Gerais, Brazil, occupied from the late Pleistocene, with human remains, stone tools, and remains of extinct mastodon and sloth. Dated to 15,300 bp is an industry of quartz flakes. The Cerca Grande complex of 10,000-8000 bp had small rock-crystal flakes, axes, bone projectile points, hammerstones, and a cemetery of 50 flexed inhumations. There are hundreds of rock paintings from the Planalto Tradition of 7000-3000 bp.

A system of caves located in the state of Minas Gerais in eastern Brazil with evidence of human occupation during the terminal Pleistocene period. Dolichocephalic human remains and stone tools have been found with bones of extinct fauna such as mastodon, sloth and horse. Although there has been considerable argument over the antiquity and validity of these associations (some archaeologists argue that flooding is responsible for the mixture of cultural and animal material), more recent work has isolated an early tool complex. Called Cerca Grande and comprising bone and quartz projectile points, scrapers and hammerstones, it has produced two radiocarbon dates of c7600 and 7000 be. Earlier radiocarbon dates have been derived from this site, but are sufficiently inconsistent with known data elsewhere to be regarded with some scepticism.