Since the discovery of the Amazon rainforest, many have wondered what lies beneath its thick canopy of trees. From tales of undiscovered civilizations to lost cities, the Amazon has long been a source of intrigue and mystery.
Despite centuries of exploration and research, much about the Amazon remains a mystery. But one thing that has been discovered is that there are ancient cities in the Amazon – some dating back thousands of years.
The first evidence of ancient settlements in the Amazon was discovered in 1985 when Brazilian archaeologist Anna Roosevelt uncovered an advanced settlement near Santarém, Brazil. The settlement dated back over 5,000 years and included hundreds of artifacts such as pottery, tools, and jewelry. This discovery sparked a flurry of exploration and research into other potential settlements throughout the region.
Since then, numerous other sites have been found in places like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. These sites range in age from 1,000 years old to more than 10,000 years old – suggesting that ancient civilizations were present in the region for a considerable amount of time.
The evidence suggests that these ancient civilizations were likely built around rivers or streams as they provided access to food and water sources. The civilizations also likely engaged in agriculture as evidenced by terracing found at some sites. The inhabitants also likely engaged in trade with other communities both within and outside the region.
However despite these discoveries there is still much about these ancient civilizations that remains unknown. We do not know what language they spoke or what their beliefs were. We do not know why they suddenly disappeared or if their settlements ever interacted with Europeans during colonization.
Conclusion
In conclusion it can be said that there are indeed ancient cities located throughout the Amazon rainforest – many dating back thousands of years ago. While much is still unknown about these mysterious settlements it is clear that they once existed and were likely quite advanced for their time.