Lidar Reveals Massive Ancient Amazon Civilization

Using lidar technology, archaeologists have uncovered nearly 400 previously unknown geoglyphs in the Amazon rainforest's southwestern region. This finding suggests that the ancient Aquiry civilization, which existed from 100 to 300 C.E., was more extensive than earlier estimates, with a population ranging from 1.25 to 3 million people across 70,600 square miles in northern Brazil. The study, published in Nature on July 29, focused on a 1,740-square-mile area. The Aquiry civilization, which began around 600 B.C.E., comprised villages of approximately 300 residents and engaged in agriculture. The geoglyphs, which served as ceremonial and political sites, included shapes like circles and squares, averaging seven acres. Researchers believe there may be between 23,000 and 30,000 geoglyphs in total. The Aquiry geoglyphs were likely abandoned between 850 and 950 C.E., possibly due to the decline of precolonial civilizations.