Archaeology & History

Hidden structures hint at huge scale of long-lost Amazon civilization

By T.K. Randall
July 30, 2026

Image: Amazon Rainforest in Tena, Ecuador
Credit: Jay / CC BY 2.0 (adapted) It is only in recent years that scientists have begun to uncover the true scale of what lies hidden beneath the dense vegetation of the South American rainforest - evidence of complex ancient societies that had remained hidden for centuries.

Thanks to the advent of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, researchers have uncovered thousands of interconnected earthworks spread across vast areas of the Amazon, revealing a far more extensive human presence than previously imagined.

It is now thought that, at its peak, this vast civilization may have been home to millions of people.

According to recent research, there are as many as 20,000 earthworks situated in an area of around 400,000 square kilometres.Many of them were built by way of digging deep ditches and embankments.

It isn't clear exactly what they were used for, but many researchers believe that some would have been ceremonial in nature while others served as political or trade centers.

At a time many centuries before the first modern Europeans arrived in the Americas, the Amazon was home to a thriving and extensive culture.

What's more, we've so far barely even scratched the surface.

What other secrets might lie beneath the rainforest canopy remains to be seen.

Source: Mail Online

Tags: Amazon, Rainforest