Name: Ancient Builders of the Amazon
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Recent discoveries in archaeology are exploding the myth of the Amazon as a primeval wilderness, revealing traces of ancient civilizations that flourished for centuries, with populations numbering in the millions.

Archaeological discoveries reveal traces of ancient civilizations in the Amazon.

Ancient Builders of the Amazon

Ancient paintings on rock walls feature human figures and animals of today’s rainforest, like deer, tapirs, and jaguars. But they also appear to show animals that went extinct thousands of years ago.

The painted cliffs of La Lindosa open a window onto the lives of Ice Age Amazonians.

Ancient Cliff Paintings in the Amazon

Ancient Builders of the Amazon Preview

The pyramid was built over 5,000 years ago, even before the pyramids of Egypt and Mesopotamia, a time when archeologists had believed the Amazon was populated only by hunter-gatherers.

This discovery rewrites the history of complex societies on the continent.

Ancient Pyramids Uncovered in the Amazon

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Recent stunning discoveries are exploding the myth of the Amazon as a primeval wilderness, revealing traces of ancient civilizations that flourished there for centuries. Dense settlements indicate populations in the millions, supported by sophisticated agricultural systems, while huge geometric earthworks and roadways bear witness to complex religious ideas and social networks. The evidence is now clear that, far from being an untouched wilderness, the Amazon has been shaped by human hands for millennia. (Premiered February 15, 2023)

Archaeological discoveries reveal long-forgotten ancient civilizations in the Amazon.

Archaeological discoveries reveal long-forgotten ancient civilizations in the Amazon.

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Ancient Builders of the Amazon

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Ancient Cliff Paintings in the Amazon

Ancient Builders of the Amazon

Ancient Pyramids Uncovered in the Amazon

Ancient Farmers of the Amazon

Ancient Amazonians Were Deft Environmental Engineers

Ancient Maya Metropolis

First Americans arrived at least 16,000 years ago, and probably by boat

These Artifacts and Foods Tie Modern Maya to the Past

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Explore More

Ancient Cliff Paintings in the Amazon

Ancient Builders of the Amazon

Ancient Pyramids Uncovered in the Amazon

Ancient Farmers of the Amazon

Ancient Amazonians Were Deft Environmental Engineers

Ancient Maya Metropolis

First Americans arrived at least 16,000 years ago, and probably by boat

These Artifacts and Foods Tie Modern Maya to the Past