Ancient earth-builders settled across a vast stretch of the southern Amazon
In short: Archaeologists have discovered that Pre-Columbian populations were far more widespread than previously thought. By identifying ditched enclosures in the Tapajós headwaters, researchers found evidence of fortified villages spanning an 1800 km stretch of southern Amazonia between roughly 1250 and 1500 AD.
This discovery challenges the long-held belief that ancient populations were restricted to major floodplains. Instead, these cultures thrived in interfluves—the land between rivers—and minor tributaries, which supported high population densities.
The team used environmental and terrain variables to model earthwork distribution across 400,000 km2. However, the study's conclusions are based on a spatial gap in the existing archaeological record that is still being filled by these new findings.
Why it matters: Ancient human settlements were much more diverse and widespread across the Amazonian landscape than previously understood.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Souza et al. (2018). Pre-Columbian earth-builders settled along the entire southern rim of the Amazon. Nature Communications. · cc-by
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