Archaeologists Used Lasers to Reveal Hundreds of Ancient Structures Hidden Beneath the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon rainforest, with its dense vegetation, is really good at hiding stuff. But all the signs of ancient civilizations hiding beneath its lush green canopies are no match for modern archaeologists using LiDAR technology, a.k.a. laser scanning tech that can see through the dense forest canopy. According to a study

The geometric earthwork structures, carved into the ground with embankments and ditches, are in some cases more than 2,500 years old, researchers said.

The Amazon might not have been the untamed jungle we once thought.

Many of these structures date to around C.E. 100–300, during the time of the Aquiry civilization, and may have been used for ceremonial purposes