Hundreds of ancient, never-before-seen ‘earthworks’ discovered in the Amazon
Many of these structures date to around C.E. 100–300, during the time of the Aquiry civilization, and may have been used for ceremonial purposes
Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery in the Amazon, unearthing hundreds of previously unknown ancient "earthworks." These structures, dating back to the Aquiry civilization between 600 BCE and 850 CE, may have served ceremonial purposes. The findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest that the Southwest Amazon could contain up to 30,000 such earthworks, with 396 new ones detected in a 4,497-square-kilometer region.
The most intriguing discovery is the presence of geoglyphs, geometric designs in the ground, some measuring several football fields in size. If confirmed, this could mean the Aquiry civilization once had a population of up to three million people and spanned an area larger than North Dakota. Pärssinen, the lead author, emphasizes the need to reconsider the total pre-colonial population of the Amazon, potentially reaching tens of millions.
This discovery challenges the notion of the Amazon as a region of "untouched nature" and offers insights into ancient human stewardship of the environment.
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