Lidar analysis reveals more than 20,000 pre-colonial earthworks under Amazonian rainforest
A new study based on aerial surveys suggests the pre-Columbian Aquiry civilisation had a much more developed and dispersed footprint than previously thought
A groundbreaking study published in the prestigious journal Nature reveals the existence of over 20,000 pre-colonial earthworks in the Amazonian rainforest, challenging long-held assumptions about the region's pre-Columbian inhabitants. Employing advanced Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) technology, researchers mapped more than 4,400 kilometers of the Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas, unearthing a vast network of ancient earthworks that significantly expands our understanding of the Aquiry civilization.
Dating back to 600BC and lasting until AD850, the Aquiry civilization spanned an area of approximately 183,000 square kilometers, encompassing parts of modern-day Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. The civilization is known for constructing massive geometric earthworks featuring deep ditches and high embankments, which were strategically used for ceremonies, political gatherings, and community bonding.
Interestingly, while 36 of the identified 432 earthworks were previously known, the study suggests that there could be anywhere between 24,000 and 30,000 such features in the area, with roughly two-thirds belonging to the Aquiry civilization.
The findings not only challenge the notion of the Amazon rainforest as an untouched wilderness but also reveal that the region could have supported between 1.25 million and 3 million people at its peak. Moreover, the Aquiry were skilled in managing and domesticating various Amazonian tree species, including the Brazil nut tree and palm species like peach palm and uricuri palm.
Professor Martti Pärssinen of the Instituto Iberoamericano de Finlandia in Madrid, one of the authors of the study, recounts his transformative experience when he first encountered these monumental geometric structures during his visit to Acre in 2002. Pärssinen emphasizes that the discovery of these earthworks sheds light on the sophisticated nature of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon, highlighting the profound impact of human activity on the landscape.
While the study does not propose a romanticized "lost civilization," it does reveal a complex form of civilisation that was deeply integrated with the environment, including the use of dark earth soils, waterways, cultivated plants, and useful species. The researchers predict that the area may hide even more remains beneath the forest canopy, emphasizing the vastness of this previously unknown civilization.
As we continue to explore and protect this remarkable heritage, we must confront the threats posed by industrial farming and off-road racing that endanger these invaluable geoglyphs.
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