Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Mapping By Laser And Dating Between 600 And 1400 AD Confirm Complex Settlements In The Beniana Plain And Take Apart The Myth Of The Untouched Forest
A historically impactful archaeological discovery was confirmed in the Beniana Plain in Bolivia, decisively altering the narrative about the occupation of the Amazônia Basin. Research conducted by Bolivian and German teams, intensified in 2021, revealed a sophisticated cultural landscape where, for decades, it was believed there was only preserved nature and low human presence.
Until then, many scientists argued that the poor soil and frequent flooding limited settlement in the region. However, scientific evidence shows that structured settlements existed there between approximately 600 and 1400 AD, indicating continuous occupation and complex territorial organization.
Technical Investigation Redefines Amazonian History
The confirmation of this occupation was made possible thanks to the use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. The system, operated from aircraft, emits laser pulses capable of penetrating dense vegetation and accurately recording the terrain’s topography. Thus, detailed three-dimensional maps were produced, revealing structures previously invisible to the naked eye.
-
Brazilian scientists assembled a “climate time machine” in the heart of the Amazon to fill trees with future CO₂ and discover how much the planet’s largest forest can withstand before changing forever.
-
The sea may advance faster than imagined: a 1-meter rise in ocean levels could leave up to 132 million people below the waterline, while a flaw present in over 99% of coastal analyses suggests that the real risk is already being underestimated.
-
SpaceX admits that the idea of taking artificial intelligence servers into space could run into something simple and inevitable: the laws of physics, which make the project more complex than it seemed.
-
Mars may once have been covered by an immense ocean, but today it displays on its surface the mark of an “empty bathtub” which suggests a colossal disappearance of water and rekindles one of the greatest mysteries of the red planet.
Under the leadership of archaeologist Carla Jaimes Betancourt from the University of Bonn, the expedition focused its analyses in areas near the Rogaguado and Ginebra Lakes in the Río Yata. The region is internationally recognized by UNESCO under the Ramsar Convention due to its environmental relevance.
The surveys identified defensive structures, pyramid platforms, ritual centers, elevated fields, and complex irrigation systems. Additionally, radiocarbon dating confirmed successive occupations over the centuries, reinforcing the existence of an organized society.
Historical Evidence Gains Scientific Validation
For much of the 20th century, the Beniana Plain, covering about 100,000 square kilometers, was considered unsuitable for the development of large societies. Still, in the early part of that century, Swedish ethnologist Erland Nordenskiöld identified traces of human occupation in the region. Subsequently, American geographer William Denevan expanded this hypothesis with new analyses.
Now, with the support of modern technology, the presence of a structured society has been systematically proven. Beneath fields and flooded areas, artificial channels, abundant pottery, and elevated agricultural structures were found, evidencing territorial planning and environmental adaptation.
Botanical analyses revealed the cultivation of corn, legumes, and different types of palms, complemented by hunting and fishing. This dietary diversity reinforces the notion of a consolidated productive system.
Adaptation to Seasonal Floods and Biocultural Heritage
According to Betancourt, in an article published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, the ancient inhabitants did not seek to dominate the environment. On the contrary, they worked in harmony with the dynamics of seasonal floods. Strategic water management was used as a tool for production and survival, demonstrating profound ecological knowledge.
This balanced interaction between society and nature is described as a lasting biocultural continuum, based on environmental and cultural diversity.
Currently, Cayubaba and Movima peoples remain in the region. They cultivate rice, cassava, bananas, and sugarcane, in addition to raising cattle, keeping alive a heritage built over centuries. However, the researcher warns that deforestation, industrial agriculture, and climate change threaten the integrity of the Amazon.
According to the organization Survival International, about 180 isolated peoples live only on the Brazilian side of the Amazon Basin. Thus, discoveries in the Beniana Plain reinforce that preserving the forest also means protecting its historical guardians and the cultural memory that sustains its resilience.
-
-
-
-
-
11 people reacted to this.