A team of Brazilian archaeologists has discovered an ancient Portuguese colonial city that was lost 250 years ago, abandoned and completely absorbed by the dense Amazon rainforest. The discovery, made in the state of Rondônia, not only reveals the location of a village thought to have been destroyed, but also the presence of several geometric structures on the ground, whose functions are still a mystery.
The investigation, led by Eduardo Goes Neves, director of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo (USP), represents an unprecedented advance in the study of Brazil’s colonial origins and archaeological history in the Amazon. According to Eduardo Neves, speaking with Portal Metropolises“The village was abandoned, the forest captured and the stone barriers removed”. Through detailed mapping, the team was able to identify the original layout of the streets, which Neves describes as “a fascinating discovery”.
The research benefited from the support of the indigenous people of the region who guided the archaeologists in the initial mapping process of the region. Next, the team used LiDAR technology, a remote sensing system that allows accurate analysis of the site without the need to manipulate or replace old structures. This technology made it possible to visualize surprising geometric shapes such as squares, circles and roads crossing the city. Eduardo Neves explains that the purpose of these structures is not yet certain, it could be “cultivation areas or housing sites” and “it is necessary to return to the ground for more detailed excavations and understand their true meaning.”.
Archaeologists say the discovery of this type of stone masonry with European roots has significant historical value, pointing to an important and controversial period in Brazilian history: Portuguese colonialism and the dominance of the Atlantic slave trade. “We’re finding archaeological sites everywhere in the Amazon region,” Neves said. “The question is what to do with them.”
The team will present the first results of this research in the context of the project at the Amazon Museum in Manas. Amazon revealedIt brings together experts and promotes the conservation of forest archaeological heritage. As Neves highlighted in a report by the São Paulo Research Foundation, guaranteeing the protection of threatened historical sites is one of the program’s priorities: “We want to register these threatened archaeological sites as national heritage monuments. ”.
The relevance and impact of this discovery is an important step towards understanding European impact on the Amazon and Portuguese colonial history in Brazil, and highlights the need to preserve and study the region’s archaeological roots.
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