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The site consists of a large number of sites. With rock shelters, and fire pits. It has yielded stone tools, and burnt wood fragments that some researchers believe indicate intentional human activity. These include hundreds of rock paintings, dating from circa 12,000 years before present.

Excavations at Pedra Furada began in the 1970s. They claimed to have found stone artifacts, interpreted as tools. And, fire pits or hearths, in layers dated to between 32,000 and 50,000 years ago
It has suggested a much earlier human presence than most accepted timelines. Radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dating methods were used to date the layers. Some say supporting their antiquity.

However, many archaeologists are skeptical of Pedra Furadas evidence
Researchers argue that the stone artifacts may be the result of natural processes. Like rock falls weathering. Or, even the local wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) smashing rocks against stones in the ground. Rather than deliberate tool-making. Unlike other human artifacts, many of the stones lack clear signs of purposeful shaping.

Evidence of hearths and burnt wood could potentially come from forest or natural fires
Scientists argue forest or natural fires would have occurred inside of a rock shelter.

Critics argue that the dating methods might be unreliable; or, that mixing or artifacts could have lead to a disturbance

With hundreds of shelters and cave drawings. Dating into the tens of thousands of years. Pedra Furada remains one of the most contentious archaeological sites in the Americas. Pushing the boundaries about early human migration, most archaeologists are cautious about accepting its findings. It will be continually questioned regarding the accuracy of pre-Clovis human presence. Without more definitive evidence, such as more indisputable stone tools; or, human remains.

Bibliography: Guidon, Niède y G. Delibrias (1986). “Carbon-14 dates point to man in the Americas 32 000 years ago”. Nature. 321 (6072): 769–771. Bibcode:1986Natur.321..769G (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986Natur.321..769G). doi:10.1038/321769a0 (https://doi.org/10.1038%2F321769a0). S2CID 4362045 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:4362045).

“The Pedra Furada Archaeological Site – Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil” (https://www.bradshawfoundation.com/south_america/serra_da_capivara/pedra_furada/index.php). Bradshaw Foundation. n.d.

Wong, Kate. “Wild Monkeys’ Stone “Tools” Force a Rethink of Human Uniqueness” (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/wild-monkeys-stone-tools-force-a-rethink-of-human-uniqueness/).Scientific American.

Meltzer, David; Adovasio, James; Dillehay, Tom (1 December 1994). “On a Pleistocene human occupation at Pedra Furada, Brazil” (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/On+a+Pleistocene+human+occupation+at+Pedra+Furada,+Brazil.-a016352243). Antiquity. 68 (261): 695–714.doi:10.1017/S0003598X00047414 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0003598X00047414). S2CID 15041308 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:15041308).