Beneath the dense vegetation of southwestern Amazonia, airborne laser scans have revealed an artificial landscape of straight roads and geometric structures. These remains belong to the Aquiry civilization, a multicultural society that occupied approximately 183,000 square kilometers between 600 BCE and 850 CE, supporting a much larger population than previously thought.

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Over 20,000 earth-built ceremonial centers

Researchers documented more than 400 well-preserved examples of monumental architecture. Projecting these results across the entire territory, a cautious estimate exceeds 20,000 earth-built ceremonial centers, with the largest complex spanning 50 hectares. The scarcity of local stone forced the Aquiry to build in earth, leaving geoglyphs that testify to the enormous scale of their works.

A population in the millions, not thousands

Archaeological analyses and radiocarbon dating indicate that between 1.25 million and 3 million people lived in Aquiry territory at the beginning of the first millennium. This figure, relative to less than 3% of Greater Amazonia, challenges previous estimates placing the entire Amazonian population between 1 and 10 million, suggesting the region could have supported tens of millions.

An environment shaped by humans

The Aquiry transformed the forest by burning bamboo areas to cultivate maize, squash, and manioc. They also actively managed useful tree species like the Brazil nut and peach palm, directly influencing the ancient carbon balance. "Our findings overturn our understanding of the Amazon region's past," says Martti Pärssinen, emeritus professor at the University of Helsinki.

LiDAR as a revealing tool

LiDAR technology allowed mapping approximately 4,500 square kilometers through dense vegetation, exposing thousands of signs of ancient construction in little-studied areas. The flights covered continuous strips one kilometer wide every ten kilometers, revealing structures that reflect the distinct geographical and cultural characteristics of the region.