The Ancient Stones of Florianopolis
Florianópolis, the island capital of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, is celebrated for its stunning beaches, lush forests, and surf culture. But beneath its tourist-friendly surface lies a deeper, older story—one written in stone . Hidden in the woods, scattered across beaches, and embedded in trails are ancient stones carved, polished, and inscribed by the region's early inhabitants . These stones are not only archaeological wonders—they are keys to understanding the island’s ancient past. The Indigenous Peoples of Santa Catarina Before Portuguese colonizers arrived in the 16th century, the island of Florianópolis—then known by its Guarani name, Meiembipe , meaning "mountain along the channel"—was inhabited for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows that the Sambaqui people , also known as shell mound builders , lived here as far back as 5,000 years ago . These ancient coastal peoples built massive shell mounds (sambaquis), fished the rich waters, and left ...