Archaeologists discover ancient Amazonian earthworks using LIDAR technology
Archaeologists using LIDAR technology have mapped hundreds of 2,500-year-old earthworks beneath the dense Amazon rainforest canopy, shedding light on an ancient civilization.
Archaeologists using advanced LIDAR laser scanning have uncovered hundreds of ancient earthworks hidden beneath the dense canopy of the Amazon rainforest. The technology, which transmits laser pulses to measure distance and generate three-dimensional terrain maps, revealed complex earthen structures created by an ancient civilization roughly 2,500 years ago.
The findings offer fresh insights into the scale and complexity of pre-Columbian societies in South America, contradicting traditional assumptions that the Amazonian interior was sparsely inhabited prior to European arrival. The newly identified geoglyphs demonstrate significant landscape modification and spatial planning by a mysterious society that thrived in the tropical forest over two millennia ago. Researchers anticipate that continued aerial mapping will help clarify the function and social structure associated with these vast earthworks.
Sources: Digi24