Lidar Scans Reveal Remains of Ancient Amazonian Metropolis Hidden for Centuries

Imagine a lost world hidden beneath the lush canopy of the Amazon rainforest. A world that has remained untouched for centuries, its secrets buried deep within the earth. 

That’s exactly what a team of researchers recently uncovered using cutting-edge technology.

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have found the remains of 24 previously unknown ancient structures hidden in the remote rainforests of the Amazon.¹ These structures date back to the pre-Columbian era and provide fascinating insights into the history and civilization of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin.

Types of Ancient Structures Discovered

The 24 ancient structures discovered by researchers in the Amazon rainforest are diverse and fascinating. They include:

• Fortified villages
• Defensive and ceremonial sites known as geoglyphs
• Riverine sites on floodplains that may have been used for gathering aquatic food
• Crowned mountains with permanent settlements used for ceremonial and domestic functions
• Megalithic structures that served as ceremonial sites
• Earthworks including ditches, ponds, wells and other structures

These structures offer a glimpse into the complex societies and sophisticated land management techniques employed by pre-Columbian Indigenous groups in the Amazon. They challenge the misconception that the Amazon was an untouched wilderness and demonstrate the long history of human habitation and activity in the region.

How Were the Structures Discovered?

The discovery of these ancient structures was made possible by the use of cutting-edge technology: airborne lidar (light detection and ranging). Lidar is a remote sensing method that uses laser light to measure distances and create detailed 3D models of the Earth’s surface.

Researchers used lidar to scan and map a large area of the Amazon rainforest. The lidar data was originally collected for estimating biomass, but researchers quickly realized its potential for archaeological purposes. 

Through digitally removing the dense vegetation from the 3D models, they were able to see the terrain beneath the forest canopy in unprecedented detail.

The Significance of the Discoveries

The discovery of these ancient structures in the Amazon rainforest is significant for several reasons:

1. It demonstrates that the Amazon has long been home to Indigenous peoples and complex societies. The structures date back to the pre-Columbian era, challenging the notion that the Amazon was an untouched wilderness.
2. It provides evidence that Indigenous groups in the Amazon were not primitive or nomadic, as they are sometimes mistakenly portrayed. The sophisticated techniques used for land and plant management by these pre-Columbian societies suggest a high level of organization and knowledge.
3. The findings indicate that the Amazon has been shaped by human activity for thousands of years. This has important implications for our understanding of the region’s ecology and the role of Indigenous peoples in shaping the landscape.
4. The discoveries bolster Indigenous claims to ancestral lands in Brazil. The evidence of long-term occupation and land management by Indigenous groups strengthens their case for demarcating new territories and protecting their rights.

These findings are a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon. They also highlight the importance of preserving and protecting the rainforest, which is not only an ecological treasure but also a cultural one.

How Many More Undiscovered Sites Likely Exist?

The lidar survey that uncovered the 24 ancient structures only covered a tiny fraction of the Amazon basin – just 0.08%. (ref) This raises an exciting prospect: if so many structures were found in such a small area, how many more might be hidden in the vast expanse of the Amazon rainforest?

Researchers estimate that there may be more than 10,000 undiscovered earthworks still hidden in the Amazon. A predictive model suggests that between 10,272 and 23,648 large-scale pre-Columbian structures remain to be discovered. Most of these undiscovered sites are likely concentrated in southwestern Amazonia.

These numbers are staggering and suggest that we have only scratched the surface of what lies beneath the Amazon’s canopy. 

Read Next

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• Don’t Miss: 15 Infamous Gravesites & Cemeteries to Visit Around the World

Source:
1. https://www.newsweek.com/ancient-town-dozens-hidden-structures-found-amazon-rainforest-1832805