Largest Native American cave artwork remained hidden for greater than 1,000 years

Massive Native American drawings — which remained unseen in an Alabama cave for more than 1,000 years — have been unveiled by a team of scientists. It’s the largest known cave art ever discovered in North America.

The art was practically invisible until researchers investigated the cave and used 3D scans to reveal the works, including one stretching for 11 feet (3.4 meters) in length. A study detailing their findings published Tuesday in the journal Antiquity.

The large artwork was discovered inside 19th Unnamed Cave in Alabama, which has been kept anonymous to protect the site from vandalism. Although its location was first found in 1998, the tight confines of the cave made the sprawling art, drawn in mud, impossible to see, so it was missed. But hundreds of smaller images were discovered throughout the cave at that time.

This tall humanlike figure appears to be wearing a complex costume. Credit: S. Alvarez, J. Simek/Antiquity Publications Ltd

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