Researchers discover lost city hidden in the Amazon rainforest

The Amazon rainforest, long celebrated for its ecological diversity, also holds deep human history buried beneath its dense canopy. Recent discoveries have shifted scientific perceptions, revealing a biocultural heritage shaped by thousands of years of human activity.

However, these archaeological treasures face mounting threats from deforestation, illegal mining, and climate change. A new initiative, combining cutting-edge technology and collaboration with local communities, aims to protect this irreplaceable legacy.

Brazilian researchers are spearheading efforts to uncover and preserve ancient sites through the ambitious "Amazon Revealed" project. Using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, they are charting hidden landscapes. This advanced remote sensing tool emits laser pulses to penetrate vegetation, producing detailed 3D models of land features that often reveal previously unseen structures.

Preliminary results of this project were presented during the 76th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. Eduardo Neves, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo, highlighted the potential of LiDAR to register sites with Brazil’s National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute, offering them an added layer of legal protection.

“Our goal is to ensure that any developmental projects in these areas require licensing and consider the presence of these cultural landmarks,” Neves explained.

Unlike traditional archaeological methods, this initiative prioritizes local consent and participation. Before conducting surveys, researchers engage with Indigenous peoples, quilombola communities (descendants of escaped enslaved people), and other traditional forest dwellers. These discussions help determine whether and where mapping efforts should proceed.

“We don’t intend to impose our research,” Neves emphasized. “Colonialist practices of extracting knowledge without regard for local interests cannot be repeated.”

This approach has already influenced project plans. For instance, while the Amondawa Indigenous community in Rondônia allowed surveys, the Kuikuro people in the Upper Xingu region declined, fearing exposure of sensitive cultural information.

Instead, researchers redirected their focus to other areas, such as Marajó Island in the Amazon River delta, where evidence of ancient constructed mounds offers insights into early settlement patterns dating back to 400 CE.

The project has uncovered remarkable sites that deepen understanding of the Amazon’s past. In one area spanning Acre, Amazonas, and Rondônia states, researchers identified triangular and circular earthworks linked by ancient highways, extending further north than previously thought.

In Serra da Muralha, Rondônia, a stone wall and masonry structures associated with a road were found, highlighting the region's complex pre-Columbian societies.

These findings add to the growing database of over 6,000 registered archaeological sites in the Amazon. Yet many remain undiscovered, leaving them vulnerable to destruction.

Neves stressed the urgency of documenting these locations: “The Amazon is not just a natural endowment. It is a biocultural treasure, shaped by 13,000 years of human history.”

The project also shed light on a lost colonial city in the rainforest, dating back to the 18th century. This Portuguese settlement had been overtaken by forest growth, its stone blocks repurposed, and its precise location forgotten. Researchers used LiDAR to reveal its street layout, offering a glimpse into Brazil’s colonial past.

“The discovery of the city aligns with our broader goal: to recognize the Amazon as a cultural and historical space, not merely an ecological one,” Neves remarked.

Contrary to earlier views of the Amazon as an untouched wilderness, evidence now indicates that Indigenous peoples developed sophisticated land management and settlement systems. Pre-Columbian societies constructed earthworks, ceremonial sites, and agricultural landscapes, transforming the region long before European colonization.

For example, a recent study in Science revealed dozens of earthworks, including fortified villages and ceremonial geoglyphs. These findings challenge outdated narratives, illustrating the intricate relationship between human activity and the rainforest’s ecology.

Despite these breakthroughs, the Amazon’s archaeological wealth is at risk. Illegal mining activities, deforestation, and wildfires increasingly encroach on these sites. In Mapinguari National Park, one of Brazil’s largest conservation areas, miners have already damaged areas containing ancient structures.

To address these threats, researchers aim to register endangered sites as national heritage monuments, bolstering their protection. Collaborative workshops with local communities are also helping to identify priority areas for mapping, fostering shared stewardship of the region’s cultural assets.

The success of the Amazon Revealed project hinges on its twofold strategy: employing state-of-the-art technologies like LiDAR and incorporating traditional knowledge from forest peoples. This partnership not only uncovers hidden histories but also empowers communities to preserve their heritage.

By combining modern science with ancestral wisdom, this initiative reframes the Amazon as a living archive of human ingenuity and resilience. In doing so, it offers a powerful counterpoint to narratives that see the rainforest solely as an ecological or economic resource.

The discoveries unfolding in the Amazon highlight the need for global recognition of its cultural significance. As Neves observed, “Everywhere we look, we find evidence of ancient human activity. The question now is how to honor and protect it.”

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