Rio de Janeiro - Brazilian archaeologist Niè de Guidon, known for discovering hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings in northeastern Brazil, whose research challenges ancient human theories in the Americas, died Wednesday at the age of 92.

Guidon first recorded paintings of the Red Ocher caves in the semi-arid state of the 1970s. Made from natural pigments such as iron oxide and charcoal, these ancient artworks depict deer and moringa, as well as scenes of daily life, including hunting, childbirth, dancing and kissing.

Guidon fought for the protection of the area, leading to the establishment of the Serra da Capivara National Park in 1979. In 1991, UNESCO recognized nearly 130,000 hectares of parks, with its vast valleys, mountains and Plains as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

According to a statement from Brazil's National Science and Technology Development Commission, Gideon's discovery shocked traditional theories about when and how humans arrived in the United States.

It was previously believed that about 13,000 years ago, humans reached the Americas through the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska.

Based on the exploration of the archaeological site of Piaui (15,000-year-old human bones were discovered, cave paintings are estimated to be about 35,000 years old, and there is 48,000 years of evidence of fire - Gideon believes that humans have already arrived on the continent of the United States through the sea and much earlier than previously believed.

Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and the National Institute of History and Art Heritage praised Guidon's contribution in a joint statement Wednesday.

"If it is recognized today as one of the most important concentrations of archaeological sites in the world, and has a profound impact on the debate and understanding of the history of human occupation in the Americas, it is most important to the vision of Niè de Guidon and his fearless defense of science and culture."

"Professor Need is one of those unforgettable characters whose names are engraved in our history," said Mauro Pires, president of the Chico Mendes Institute.

"The death of Niè de Guidon has made Brazilian science sad, which helped us understand the origins of humanity on the continental United States," said Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lulada Silva in a statement.

Guidon was born in 1933 inside St. Paul State University. After introducing her thesis on cave painting in the state of Piayi, she completed her PhD at the Sorbonne University in Paris in 1975.

Guidon went on to find the Foundation of American Man, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the cultural and natural heritage of Serra da Capivara National Park, where she led between 1986 and 2019.

The nonprofit said Wednesday: “For decades, she and her team have been ensuring funding and infrastructure for the parks to be determined by the parks, firmly opposing government neglect.

In 2024, the Brazilian National Science and Technology Development Commission asked Gideon about the obstacles she faced as a woman and a scientist.

“I never worry about what people think of me,” she said. “I worked hard, created a very qualified team and made history.”

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