Pre-Cabral Brazil spans thousands of years of human occupation, whose fascinating history can be partially reconstructed through archaeological and historical evidence.
Long before Pedro Álvares Cabral sighted Mount Pascoal, the territory we now know as Brazil was already the stage for rich cultural and human diversity. This period, known as Pre-Cabral Brazil, extends over millennia of human occupation. Thanks to archaeological and historical evidence, we can unravel part of this intriguing narrative.
The Arrival of the First Inhabitants
For a long time, it was believed that the first humans arrived in the Americas through the Bering Strait, migrating from Asia to North America during the ice ages. However, starting in the 1980s, archaeological discoveries in South America began to challenge this theory. Evidence suggests that human occupation on the continent may be much older and the result of multiple waves of migration, not limited to just Asian migration.
Archaeological research has revealed unequivocal human presence between 11,500 and 13,000 years ago at sites such as Monte Verde in Chile, and in locations in Central Brazil, Minas Gerais, and Santa Elina (MT). The archaeological site of Pedra Furada, in Serra da Capivara National Park (PI), presented controversial datings of up to 40,000 years, indicating a possible human occupation much earlier than previously believed. Although these datings are still subject to debate, they open new perspectives on how and when the first humans arrived in Brazilian territory.
Hunter-Gatherers: The First Brazilians
The hunter-gatherers were the first inhabitants of Brazil, occupying the territory approximately 9,000 to 8,000 years ago. Living as nomads or semi-nomads, these groups depended on hunting, fishing, and gathering fruits, roots, and seeds for their subsistence. They used rudimentary tools made of flaked stone, bones, and wood, demonstrating profound knowledge of natural resources and seasonal cycles that allowed them to survive sustainably.
Rock art is one of the most impressive legacies of these peoples. In Serra da Capivara, in Piauí, for example, paintings on the walls depict hunting scenes, rituals, human figures, and animals, revealing complex social and cultural structures. These representations suggest that, even before the advent of agriculture and ceramics, these groups already possessed sophisticated belief systems and artistic expressions.
The Transition to Agriculture
The transition from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural communities significantly marked Brazilian prehistory. Corn grains about 2,800 years old were discovered in Santana do Riacho (MG). Rock paintings of the São Francisco Tradition depict roots, tubers, and utensils such as tipitis — used to extract the poisonous juice from wild cassava — indicating agricultural practices and food processing.
Between 2,500 and 1,200 years ago, records of agricultural activities intensified. Deposits of corn, cassava, cotton, peanuts, and beans in woven structures demonstrate advanced conservation techniques. These communities combined hunting, fishing, gathering, and agriculture, revealing a diverse diet and deep knowledge of natural resources. Dwellings ranged from caves to wooden and straw huts. The production of ceramics for food and water storage, along with the continuity of rock art, reflects sophisticated technical and artistic skills. Social organization included gender-based division of tasks and funerary practices near dwellings, suggesting complex belief systems. The strategic proximity to rivers and lakes facilitated access to water and fertile soils for agriculture.
The Sambaquis: Coastal Monuments
While agriculture was flourishing in the interior of Brazil, the coast witnessed, about 6,000 years ago, the emergence of sambaquis — large mounds composed of shells, fish bones, birds, mammals, and other organic materials. Built by prehistoric peoples who inhabited the Brazilian coast long before the arrival of the Tupi-Guarani, these archaeological sites could reach up to 40 meters in height. Most sambaquis are concentrated in the Southeast/South Atlantic Coast, Lower Amazon, Northeast, and in the Lagoa Santa region, in Minas Gerais — where Luzia, the oldest human fossil in South America, about 13,000 years old, was found. Within these structures, archaeologists discovered traces of dwellings, artifacts such as projectile points, axe blades, fishhooks, and decorative objects, as well as burials suggesting social differences and hierarchies in the communities.
Hypotheses indicate that the migration of these groups began in the Amazon region and rapidly expanded southward in about 500 years. The sambaqui builders were expert canoeists, navigating coastal and deep-sea waters, as evidenced by their well-developed upper limbs due to intense use of paddles. Cultural similarities between distant sambaquis, exchanges of objects, and possible alliances through intercommunity marriages reinforce the idea of social connectivity along the coast. Around 1,000 years ago, the construction of sambaquis ceased and the archaeological records of these groups disappeared, possibly due to internal changes in social and economic structures or the arrival of ceramic-making agricultural groups from the interior.
Conclusion
Pre-Cabral Brazil was the stage for a rich tapestry of cultures and societies that shaped human history in the South American continent. Continuous archaeological research is essential to unravel the mysteries that still surround these periods. Each new discovery not only fills gaps in our knowledge but also allows us to appreciate the resilience, adaptability, and creativity of the peoples who inhabited this territory long before the arrival of Europeans.
References
- ADOVASIO, James M.; PAGE, Jake. The First Americans. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Record, 2002.
- Almeida, F. Archaeology of South America: The First Inhabitants. Editora Ciências Humanas, 2010.
- FAUSTO, Carlos. The Indians before Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar Editor, 2000.
- FERREIRA, Lúcio Menezes. Primitive Territory: The Institutionalization of Archaeology in Brazil (1870-1917). Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, 2010.
- GASPAR, M. D. Sambaqui: Archaeology of the Brazilian Coast. Editora UFRJ, 2000.