A prehistorical sway carving described as a half - valet de chambre , half pray mantis with six limb and “ vulturine forearm ” discovered in Iran make up one of the few get laid petroglyphs depicting an insect . Though it cast a lightness into the understanding of ancient humans , its discovery present more doubt than answers .
The capably dub “ Squatting Mantis Man ” was found in 2017 at a well - do it rock site called Teymareh in Central Iran . A year later , archeologist consulted with entomologists for identify its unusual form .
“ Characteristics of the petroglyph are a large triangular headspring equipped with a vertical extension , great eyes , afford forelegs , intermediately looped mid - legs , and curved hind - stage , ” write the discipline authors in theJournal of Orthoptera Research . “ The motive seems to have raised and opened its foreleg laterally , so it may depict a menacing mantid . ”
Measuring just 14 - centimeters ( 1.5 - inches ) , the worm appears to lay out an dirt ball with middle tree branch ending in what looks like a half - circle . But petroglyph of invertebrate are rare , typically archaeologists find mammals , big secret plan , or plants that would have been used by early humans for solid food or survival use . Rather , the closest image that represents Squatting Mantis Man is “ Squatter Man , ” a petroglyph material body found around the world depicting a person besiege by circles . theory for this humanistic line drawing chain from just a person holding circular objects to those that believe the circles represent auroras “ associated with aurora phenomenon due to plasma discharge , ”
Current regulations in Iran prohibit the exercise of radioactive cloth needed for radiocarbon dating , but expert believe the carvings may have been made between 4,000 and 40,000 years ago . It is unclear why ancient humans would have created such an icon in the first place , though it appears that the praying mantis may have been linked to the supernatural .
“ While it is hard to see prehistorical petroglyph , morphological similarity and distinguishable feature film suggest the audit petroglyph likely typify a implore mantid . Mantid - similar motif have been come up in several area around the world – some were even considered as alien symbol – but human beings ’s interest in the beg mantis can be dated to prehistoric sentence , ” conclude the researchers , tot that perhaps of larger pastime is the sympathy of why humans “ start scratch their images into solid rocks ” in the first place .
rock music art is find around the world and remain an integral part of the history of human race , serving as both nonverbal and optical communicating to express feelings and opinions , add the authors .
