ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Rock art

Rock art is when people draw or paint pictures and designs on rocks. It's kind of like making pictures with crayons or markers, but with special paints and tools on really big rocks that are outside.

People have been making rock art for a really, really long time – even before there were books or computers! Some rock art is over 10,000 years old, which is older than even your grandparents. People used to make rock art for lots of different reasons – maybe to tell stories, show off how good they were at drawing, or even as a way to ask for help from the spirit world.

The types of pictures you might find in rock art can be pretty different from the things you see in your normal books or on TV. Some rock art might show people or animals you've never seen before, or pictures of the sun, moon, or stars. Some rock art is more like patterns or designs that repeat over and over again. And sometimes, you might find rock art that nobody really understands – it's like a mystery just waiting to be solved.

Even though rock art is really old, you can still see it today if you go to the right places. But it's super important to be extra careful around rock art – since it's been there for thousands of years, it can be easy to accidentally damage it by touching or climbing on the rocks. So if you ever go see rock art, make sure to be really respectful and gentle, just like you would if you were in a museum.
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