Ancient carving may depict solar eclipse that occurred 1,000 years ago

People are getting excited about the upcoming solar eclipse and as it turns out, people in ancient times were too.

A petroglyph has been found at New Mexico's Chaco Canyon, carved by the early Pueblo people.

According to Professor J McKim Malville from the University of Colorado at Boulder, it may depict a solar eclipse nearly a millennium ago in the year 1097.

The images were found on a free-standing rock in the canyon called Piedra Del Sol, discovered in 1992.

Researchers claim ancient people may have gathered here for festivities related to the summer solstice.

The petroglyph in question shows a solid circle surrounded by looping tendrils.

Researchers suggest that people at the site could have witnessed a coronal mass ejection, an eruption that sends billions of tons of plasma gushing from the sun.

Several data sources, including tree ring records and eye-witness accounts confirmed that the petroglyph was made during a period of high solar activity.

Malville also said that other rock art pieces in Canyon may show a comet and a supernova bright enough to be seen during the day.