A lost world in the heart of the Amazon rainforest was actually home to one MILLION people [tr]

UK Daily Mail ^ | March 27, 2018 | Phoebe Weston

[C19fan]

Parts of the Amazon previously thought to have been uninhabited were home to thriving populations of up to a million people from as early as 1250 AD, research shows.

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence there were up to 1,500 fortified villages in the rainforest away from major rivers - two-thirds of which are yet to be discovered.

By analysing charcoal remains and excavated pottery, researchers found a 1,100-mile (1,800km) stretch of southern Amazonia that was continuously occupied from 1250 until 1500 AD.

People had assumed ancient communities had preferred to live near these waterways, but the new evidence shows this was not the case.

[C19fan]

The book "1491" covers this issue. There were Spanish accounts of encountering a populated Amazon basin but people discounted that. Turns out to be true. One theory is that the Europeans brought the malaria carrying mosquitoes from Europe and Africa and they resulted in a devastation of the native Amazonians.

[ClearCase_guy]

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I have both “1491” and “1493” in my book collection.
Charles Mann was hooted when 1491 was first published.
He has the last laugh now...

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If they only had a .com things would be a OK now.

[Cowboy Bob]

Lost City of Z ping..

[WayneS]

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence there were up to 1,500 fortified villages in the rainforest away from major rivers - two-thirds of which are yet to be discovered.

Is that "archaeologist-speak" for: "We have uncovered evidence of 500 fortified villages..."?

[Joe 6-pack]

"One theory is that the Europeans brought the malaria carrying mosquitoes from Europe and Africa and they resulted in a devastation of the native Amazonians."

An alternate theory is they all came north looking for freebies.

[Conan the Librarian]

Percy Fawcett was right, just didn’t have the means.

I suggest the book:

River of darkness : Francisco Orellana’s legendary voyage of death and discovery down the Amazon.

Orellana found out what was down the Amazon from Peru/Ecuador.

The Lost City of “Z” by Grann (the movie is sort of based on this book) is about Fawcett, but, has some background in the region.

[WayneS]

The discovery fills a major gap in the history of the Amazon, and provides further evidence that the rainforest – once thought to be untouched by human farming or occupation – has in fact been heavily influenced by those who lived in it.

So, global warming was started by 13th century Amazonians?

[IndispensableDestiny]

Cut down the rainforest, find things.

[WayneS]

These are man-made ditches with strange square, circular or hexagonal shapes.

Geometrically speaking, I do not think there is anything the least bit "strange" about shapes known as squares, circles and hexagons.

[dfwgator]

Doo-doo-doo, da-da-do-do-wow!
There’s a place called the rainforest that truly sucks ass
Let’s knock it all down and get rid of it fast
You say ‘save the rainforest’, but what do you know?
You’ve never been to the rainforest before!
Getting Gay with Kids is here
To tell you things you might not like to hear
You only fight these causes ‘cos caring sells
All you activists can go .... yourselves.

Someday if we work hard boys and girls..
There’ll be no more rainforests left in the entire world..
Getting Gay with Kids is here
To spread the word, and bring you cheer
Getting Gay with Kids is here
Lets knock down the rainforest, whaddaya say?
Its totally gay, it’s totally gay

[Beowulf9]

“fortified villages”. Fortified, until the kids of the rainforest peeps went on a march and got rid of all their fortifications.

NOW where are they?

[Beowulf9]

HAHA! Took me a min!

[editor-surveyor]

.
If “two-thirds of which are yet to be discovered,” how do they know?

More fake news.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> Is that “archaeologist-speak” for: “We have uncovered evidence of 500 fortified villages...?”

If you’re in the mood to be generous.
.

[Bookshelf]

I find the issue of malaria questionable. It was the Amazon tribes who informed the Jesuits of the benefits of quinona bark (quinine, or often called Jesuits’s bark). It would seem more likely that the Europeans introduced the aedes aegypti rather than the anopheles mosquito.

[editor-surveyor]

.
“Strange” to the very strange.

[Puppage]

Amazon privilege?

[VeniVidiVici]

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence there were up to 1,500 fortified villages in the rainforest away from major rivers - two-thirds of which are yet to be discovered.

That worked out well for them.