Archaeologists have discovered a network of settlements and roads in Ecuador’s Andean foothills, occupied by the Upano people from 500 B.C. to 300-600 A.D.
The area contained over 6,000 earthen mounds, residential and ceremonial buildings, and extensive agricultural fields with drainage canals.
The population at its peak could have ranged from 10,000 to 30,000, making it comparable to Roman-era London. (Trending: Anthony Fauci Questioned About Evidence Behind COVID Restrictions)
A 'lost valley of cities' built thousands of years ago has been found in the Amazon https://t.co/rbha5DLs9D
— Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) January 13, 2024
This finding challenges the perception of the Amazon as a pristine wilderness and reveals the complexity of early rainforest societies.
“I wasn’t sure how it all fit together,” archaeologist Stéphen Rostain said.
“It was a lost valley of cities,” he added. “It’s incredible.”
“This shows a very dense occupation and an extremely complicated society,” University of Florida archeologist Michael Heckenberger stated. “For the region, it’s really in a class of its own in terms of how early it is.”
“The Incas and Mayans built with stone, but people in Amazonia didn’t usually have stone available to build – they built with mud. It’s still an immense amount of labor,” University of Exeter archaeologist José Iriarte said.
Many think of the Amazon as a “pristine wilderness with only small groups of people. But recent discoveries have shown us how much more complex the past really is,” he said.
“There’s always been an incredible diversity of people and settlements in the Amazon, not only one way to live,” Rostain added.
“We’re just learning more about them.”
Similar evidence of intricate societies has been found in Bolivia and Brazil, showcasing the diverse ways of life in the region.
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