Emily Chan
Deep within the thick, remote rainforests of the Amazon, researchers have come across two dozen ancient structures. The recently discovered structures were built by indigenous people during the pre-Columbian era, before the period of European colonization.
The constructions include the remains of an ancient town and villages, along with ceremonial buildings and riverbank sites that were thought to have been used for gathering food that made its home in the water.
Scientists know that indigenous people have lived in the Amazon for at least 12,000 years, but evidence of their societies is hard to find due to the density of the forest’s canopy. As a result, it has been a challenge to gain a clear understanding of their lives in the forest.
But recently, a team of researchers has used LiDAR, light detection and ranging technology, to identify 24 previously unknown earthworks, which have helped shed more light on pre-Columbian human occupation in the Amazon.
The LiDAR survey covered more than 2,000 square miles of the Amazon Basin. Originally, the data from the survey was collected for the purpose of making biomass estimates throughout the forest.
The technology gives scientists the ability to see through the forest canopy and create intricate three-dimensional models of what they observe on the surface.
“From the 3D models of the surface, it is possible to remove all vegetation and initiate a precise and detailed investigation of the terrain beneath the forest,” said Vincent Peripato, a doctoral student at the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.
One of the 24 earthworks that was discovered was a “plaza town,” which is described as an ancient fortified settlement.
These types of settlements were surrounded by large, deep ditches. There was also a circular central plaza, ringed with large earthen mounds. Straight paths spread out from the plaza in a pattern resembling sun rays.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
