The oldest petroglyph depicting a praying mantis was found in Iran. It is extremely rare that an invertebrate is depicted in a rock art, according to a study by scientists from the Islamic Azad Arak University, published in the Journal of Orthoptera Research.
A stone carving approximately 14 cm high was first discovered during excavations in central Iran between 2017 and 2018, but at first archaeologists were unable to identify it due to its unusual shape.
The six limbs in the figure indicate an insect, while the large eyes and grasping upper legs are highly likely to belong to the praying mantis, scientists have determined.
A detailed study of the drawing and comparison of the image with a catalog of local fauna allowed scientists to assume that the mantis depicted in the drawing belongs to the species Empusa.
Researchers believe that the paws in the middle of the design, with strange circles at the ends, do not belong to the mantis, but are similar to Squatter Man, an anthropomorphic figure that is depicted in petroglyphs around the world.
While archaeologists cannot say exactly how old the petroglyphs are - sanctions against Iran prohibit the use of radioactive materials necessary for radiocarbon dating. The authors of the study suggest that the drawings were made about 40 thousand years ago.
Author: Oleg Sabitov
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