Hidden Pre-Hispanic Structures and Roads Revealed by Lasers in the Amazon Canopy: Oldest Agricultural Civilization Uncovered

Ancient Amazon Civilization Uncovered

Lasers revealed a complex network of pre-Hispanic structures and roads hidden beneath the Amazon canopy.

Oldest Agricultural Civilization in South America

At 2,500 years old, it is the oldest (and largest) example of an agricultural civilization ever recorded in the dense rainforests of South America.

Archaeological Discoveries

Archaeologists have been studying the Obano Valley site, located along the eastern Andes Mountains, for several decades. They began viewing Ecuadorian landscapes using airborne lidar, where thousands of infrared laser pulses are repeatedly reflected from the landscape to reveal structures hidden beneath vegetation, according to a study published in the journal Science.

“I explored the site several times, but the lidar gave me another view of the ground,” said lead study author Stephen Rosten, an archaeologist and director of research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). “On foot, there are trees in the way, and it is difficult to see what is It’s already hidden there.”

Historical Significance

Archaeological excavations showed that the site, which covers about 230 square miles (600 square kilometers), was inhabited from about 500 BC to some time between 300 and 600 AD, according to the study.

The researchers used lidar technology to evaluate the extended half-site, which was built by members of the pre-Hispanic Kilamupi and Obano cultures, two sedentary farming communities that once occupied the valley. After a “hiatus period,” the Huapula civilization occupied some settlements, according to the study.

Ancient Urban Systems

Photographs showed that the site contained more than 6,000 rectangular earthen platforms, plaza structures and mounds that were interconnected by an extensive network of straight roads and footpaths.

Based on its sheer size and complexity, the site “is similar to similar Maya urban systems in Mesoamerica,” according to the study.

Source:

Live Science

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