Explorers in a remote coastal inlet of British Columbia have discovered a hidden cavern containing 15,000-year-old petroglyphs depicting deep-sea fauna. Most notable are the detailed representations of giant squids, sperm whales, and deep-water fish, suggesting that Paleolithic maritime cultures possessed sophisticated knowledge of species rarely seen from the shore.
The style of the engravings is distinct from any known later First Nations art styles, pointing to a much earlier, previously unknown migration wave along the Pacific Coast. Chemical analysis of the mineral crust covering the tool marks confirms the extreme antiquity of the site, making it one of the oldest confirmed rock art galleries in North America.