The Amazon region and its lost civilization certainly have many mysteries that are still engulfed by the lush vegetation. This is still present throughout this area, and while we may have uncovered many of these mysterious human traces. Current efforst are still undergoing in this region and still will in the near future.
It’s amazing for us to think that the register of human activities in this dense region has almost no evidences whatsoever. Recently a team of explorers discovered a series of small town centers that form an abandoned city that has 2 500 years of age. It’s important to note that this civilization hasn’t been identificated but their activities indicate that they depended heavily in agricultural activity by the inforation shared in the Science scientifical magazine.
The Enigmatic Upano Cities
This Amazon forgotten city in the Upano Valley in Ecuador at the foothills of the Andes, spans over 1,000 square kilometers.
This complex includes dozens of interconnected settlements connected by a network of roads in the heart of the Amazon.
French archaeologist Stéphen Rostain, research director at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), detected the first clues of this civilization, known as “Upano,” 25 years ago. In 2015, a company hired by Ecuador utilized Lidar technology to unveil the magnitude of the settlement through the dense forest cover.
Revelations in the Rainforest
Lidar’s Glimpse, a laser-based remote sensing method, allowed researchers to visualize over 6,000 mounds and earth platforms. Certainly the possibilities that tools as this enable help expert to make bigger and more ambitious projections for their researchs.
The initial platforms are estimated to have been constructed between 500 years BCE and 300-600 years CE. This discovery suggests that the Amazon region hosted complex civilizations much earlier than previously known.
The exploration and eventual findings that different researchers get from their work by traveling to the Amazon have sprung theories that are certainly nothing short that comes to fantasizing with the possible results or the fruit of their labour.
Symbiotic Urbanism and the Strata of the Rainforest
Firstly, the discovered cities exhibit advanced urban features, with expansive straight streets and a grid structure.
Secondly, the towering mounds indicate collective spaces for rituals or festivities, and the fields reveal an advanced agrarian society.
During excavations, scientists unearthed numerous domestic artifacts, including grains, grinding stones, utensils, and ceramic jars.
These remnants suggest a symbiotic nomadic society, likely with a central authority and advanced engineering.
Shifting Perspectives: Rediscovering Amazonian Civilizations
This discovery challenges the traditional Western perception of Amazonian civilizations.
Rostain urges a reconsideration of derogatory views about the Amazon, encouraging recognition of its rich history and cultural diversity.
Lastly, the recent revelation of a vast network of lost cities, paints a comprehensive picture of the intricate civilizations that once flourished in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
