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Ancient Builders of the Amazon | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS

NOVA PBS Official・26 minutes read

Recent archaeological discoveries in the Amazon challenge the perception of it as untouched nature, revealing ancient civilizations, urban centers, and complex societies that managed the rainforest sustainably through agriculture and domestication. These findings showcase a rich history of cultural development, monumental architecture, and societal complexity, highlighting the importance of preserving the Amazon and recognizing Indigenous rights to the land.

Insights

  • Recent archaeological discoveries in the Amazon have debunked the long-held belief that the region was devoid of civilization, showcasing ancient agricultural systems, urban centers, and monumental architecture.
  • The ancient Amazonians managed the rainforest through intensive agriculture, domesticating over 80 plant species and creating fertile soils like terra preta, challenging assumptions about their societal complexity and cultural developments distinct from other civilizations.

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Recent questions

  • What did recent discoveries reveal about the ancient Amazon?

    Ancient agricultural systems, urban centers, monumental architecture.

  • How did Lidar technology contribute to Amazonian archaeology?

    Revealed large mound complex resembling a city.

  • What role did terra preta play in ancient Amazonian agriculture?

    Allowed for intensive agriculture and large populations.

  • How did ancient Amazonians manage the rainforest landscape?

    Cultivated specific trees in groves, created semi-domesticated landscape.

  • What significance does Monte Grande hold in Amazonian archaeology?

    Evidence of complex society, monumental architecture older than Inca.

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Summary

00:00

Ancient Amazon: Uncovering Lost Civilizations

  • Historians previously viewed the ancient Amazon as a wilderness with no civilization or human presence.
  • Recent discoveries have revealed ancient agricultural systems, urban centers, and monumental architecture in the Amazon.
  • The Amazon, covering half of South America, is home to a vast tropical forest with diverse plant and animal species.
  • The assumption of the Amazon being untouched nature was prevalent for centuries.
  • New archaeologists are challenging the belief that the Amazon couldn't support complex societies due to poor soils.
  • Carla Jaimes, a Bolivian archaeologist, discovered ancient terraces for agriculture in the Llanos de Mojos.
  • Pottery fragments found in the Llanos de Mojos date back 800 years, indicating ancient human presence.
  • Carla's team unearthed constructed hills over 1,500 years old, revealing ancient earthworks in the Amazon.
  • Lidar technology revealed a large mound complex resembling a city in the Amazon, a groundbreaking discovery.
  • Indigenous communities in the Amazon, like the Mojeño in San Bartolo, may be descendants of ancient Amazonian civilizations.

19:11

Ancient Amazonians: Culture and Landscape Insights

  • Traces of bones, food, fruit, fireplaces, and stone tools found by Gaspar's team in the jungle reveal human presence 12,600 years ago.
  • The rock shelters in the Amazon were used by the first inhabitants, showcasing their way of life.
  • Soil in the rock shelters narrates the story of the nomadic hunter-gatherers who used the site as a temporary camp over 12,000 years ago.
  • The Guayabero River served as a natural entry point for early travelers into the Amazon, crossing the Andes.
  • Painted figures on the cliffs of La Lindosa depict animals, plants, and extinct species from 12,600 years ago.
  • Terra preta, a fertile soil created by ancient Amazonians through composting, allowed for intensive agriculture and large populations.
  • Ancient Amazonians managed the rainforest by cultivating specific trees in groves and creating a semi-domesticated landscape.
  • Over 80 plant species were domesticated by ancient Amazonians, leading to unique cultural developments distinct from the Neolithic Revolution.
  • Unlike the Middle East, Amazonian cultures did not develop centralized political control or grand cities due to the humid climate and lack of storage capabilities.
  • Various ancient Amazonian cultures emerged along the Amazon River, each with distinct styles and settlements, challenging previous assumptions about their societal complexity.

36:46

Ancient Amazon Pyramid Challenges Historical Beliefs

  • A massive pyramid, as tall as a five-story building, was discovered at Monte Grande, built over 5,000 years ago from clay, stone, and reed.
  • The pyramid predates the pyramids of Egypt and Mesopotamia, challenging previous beliefs about the Amazon being populated only by hunter-gatherers.
  • Famed Brazilian archaeologist Eduardo Neves visited Monte Grande, emphasizing its significance as one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas.
  • Monte Grande showcases evidence of a complex society and monumental architecture at least 3,000 years older than the Inca or Nazca civilizations.
  • A smaller spiral pyramid in Ecuador revealed a tomb, leading to the belief that Monte Grande may also be a tomb of a religious leader.
  • The spiral symbolizes the beginning and end of life, with astronomical associations, highlighting the importance of the high-status individual buried there.
  • The creation story of the Awajún people aligns with the beliefs embodied by Monte Grande, emphasizing profound beliefs about life, death, and the cosmos.
  • The lost civilizations of the Amazon are being unearthed, revealing sophisticated cultures beyond the previous perception of hunter-gatherers.
  • Archaeology is not just about the past but also about establishing Indigenous rights to the land, supporting the preservation of the Amazon for the future.
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