The world of archaeology has just been stunned with the recent discovery of one of the world’s largest collections of prehistoric paintings, stretching across an eight-mile-long cliff in Colombia’s Amazon.

Hailed as “the Sistine Chapel of the Ancients”, the breathtaking drawings are located on the Serranía de la Lindosa and depict tens of thousands of animals and humans created up to 12,500 years ago. The artwork’s date is estimated based on its representation of animals that date back to the ice age, including the mastodon and ice age horses.

The ancient rock paintings also feature depictions of fish, turtles, lizards, and birds, as well as people dancing and others wearing masks. They vary in size and some were painted so high up the cliff that the archeology team had to use drones to take a look at them.

“It’s interesting to see that many of these large animals appear surrounded by small men with their arms raised, almost worshiping these animals,” commented José Iriarte, an Amazon, and pre-Columbian expert. “The pictures are so natural and so well-made that we have few doubts that you’re looking at a horse, for example. The ice-age horse had a wild, heavy face. It’s so detailed, we can even see the horsehair. It’s fascinating.”

The impressive findings will enrich our understanding of the global expansion of human populations as well as help us create a better image of how ancient civilizations interacted with their surrounding environment.

More images and films of the incredible ancient artwork will be presented for the first time on Channel 4 on a documentary series called Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon.