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  More than 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden throughout Amazonia

Peripato, V., Levis, C., Moreira, G. A., Gamerman, D., Steege, H. t., Pitman, N. C. A., et al. (2023). More than 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden throughout Amazonia. Science, 382(6666): 2541, pp. 103-109. doi:10.1126/science.ade2541.

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Peripato, Vinicius, Author
Levis, Carolina, Author
Moreira, Guido A., Author
Gamerman, Dani, Author
Steege, Hans ter, Author
Pitman, Nigel C. A., Author
de Souza, Jonas G., Author
Iriarte, José, Author
Robinson, Mark, Author
Junqueira, André Braga, Author
Trindade, Thiago B., Author
de Almeida, Fernando O., Author
de Moraes, Claide Paula, Author
Lombardo, Umberto, Author
Tamanaha, Eduardo K., Author
Maezumi, Shira Yoshimi1, Author           
Ometto, Jean P. H. B., Author
Braga, José R. G., Author
Campanharo, Wesley A., Author
Cassol, Henrique L. G., Author
more..
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1Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society, ou_3398738              

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 Abstract: Indigenous societies are known to have occupied the Amazon basin for more than 12,000 years, but the scale of their influence on Amazonian forests remains uncertain. We report the discovery, using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) information from across the basin, of 24 previously undetected pre-Columbian earthworks beneath the forest canopy. Modeled distribution and abundance of large-scale archaeological sites across Amazonia suggest that between 10,272 and 23,648 sites remain to be discovered and that most will be found in the southwest. We also identified 53 domesticated tree species significantly associated with earthwork occurrence probability, likely suggesting past management practices. Closed-canopy forests across Amazonia are likely to contain thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites around which pre-Columbian societies actively modified forests, a discovery that opens opportunities for better understanding the magnitude of ancient human influence on Amazonia and its current state. Indigenous societies have lived in the Amazon for at least 12,000 years. Finding evidence of these societies, however, has been greatly hampered by the density of the forest in Amazonia. Peripato et al. used LIDAR (light detection and ranging) surveys to identify more than 20 previously unidentified developments and then modeled the occurrence of others across the Amazon. The authors predict that between 10,000 and 24,000 ancient earthworks are waiting to be discovered. Sampling of some of the LIDAR transects revealed a consistent set of domesticated tree species associated with the developments, suggesting active forestry practices among these societies. —Sacha Vignieri Amazon-wide LIDAR surveys and predictive models suggest thousands of undocumented archaeological sites across the basin.

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 Dates: 2022-09-162023-08-312023-10-062023-10-06
 Publication Status: Issued
 Pages: 6
 Publishing info: -
 Table of Contents: Archaeological discoveries beneath the canopy
Modeling basin-wide distribution of earthworks
Relationships with domesticated species
Social-ecological implications
 Rev. Type: Peer
 Identifiers: DOI: 10.1126/science.ade2541
Other: gea0121
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Title: Science
  Abbreviation : Science
Source Genre: Journal
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Publ. Info: Washington, D.C. : American Association for the Advancement of Science
Pages: - Volume / Issue: 382 (6666) Sequence Number: 2541 Start / End Page: 103 - 109 Identifier: ISSN: 0036-8075
CoNE: https://pure.mpg.de/cone/journals/resource/991042748276600_1