Lajedo de Soledade, Archaeological site in Apodi, Brazil

Lajedo de Soledade is a 3 km² limestone exposure in the Potiguar Basin, in Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte. Its ravines and caves, such as the ravina do Urubu and ravina do Leon, hold rock paintings and Pleistocene fossils. The rock, part of the Jandaíra Formation, formed about 90 million years ago under a shallow sea.

The limestone bedrock formed around 90 million years ago when shallow seas covered the region, creating the largest limestone exposure in the Potiguar Basin. Excavations in the 1990s uncovered fossil remains of giant sloths and enormous armadillos from much later periods.

Paintings were made in 30 areas of the lajedo and engravings in 26, using fingertips, small twigs, primitive brushes, ochre or charcoal sticks and stamped hands. Red dominates, with yellow and black rare. Most figures are pure graphic marks that resist interpretation; animal figures are few. The ravines were not permanent dwellings, since they flood in the rainy season, which supports the idea of ceremonial use.

The ravines flood during the rainy season, so visits are only possible at certain times of year; check conditions before setting out. The site lies in the Chapada do Apodi, about 80 km from Mossoró, and the Fundação dos Amigos do Lajedo de Soledade, which maintains it, receives groups of 600 to 700 visitors a month and takes bookings for up to 2,000. Wear closed shoes for the uneven limestone and bring water.

Paleontological excavations revealed remains of Pleistocene megafauna, including giant sloths and armadillos, buried beneath the rock layers. These discoveries show that large animals and human populations shared this region for extended periods.