Archaeologists have uncovered a vast and previously hidden ancient civilisation within the Amazon rainforest, revealing a sophisticated society that once thrived across parts of modern Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. Using airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology, researchers mapped 432 monumental earthworks—most of which were previously unknown—across a surveyed area of 4,500 square kilometers. These structures, primarily geometric shapes such as circles and squares, include ceremonial enclosures and extensive road networks, indicating a high degree of social organisation.

The civilisation, named the Aquiry, flourished roughly between AD 100 and 300, although some research suggests it may have existed for as long as 1,450 years beginning around 600 BC. At its peak, the population is estimated to have ranged from 1.25 million to 3 million people, a figure comparable to the population of Roman Britain. The Aquiry occupied approximately 183,000 square kilometers—an area slightly smaller than Great Britain—in southwestern Amazonia.

Lead researcher Martti Pärssinen of the University of Helsinki described the findings as transformative to the understanding of Amazonia’s history, challenging the long-held view that the region had been a largely untouched wilderness inhabited only by small groups of hunter-gatherers. Instead, the earthworks reveal an extensive network of political and ceremonial centres where dispersed communities convened for decision-making, rituals, and public festivities. These gatherings reportedly included activities such as music, dancing, wrestling, and ball games, according to indigenous oral traditions and early colonial accounts.

Pärssinen compared the Aquiry civilisation to ancient Greece, suggesting that rather than a single centralized empire, it may have consisted of multiple communities sharing cultural and religious practices, similar to the city-states of classical Greece. This comparison underscores the complexity and regional diversity of the society, which appears to have shared architectural styles, ceremonial traditions, and communal events.

While the monumental enclosures were likely not densely inhabited urban centres, their construction reflects sophisticated planning and organized labor. Another researcher involved in the study, Risto Kalliola, highlighted that the diverse designs and construction techniques of the earthworks correspond to varying geographical and cultural factors across the region.

Despite the impressive scale of the civilisation, the Aquiry maintained an ecological balance with the rainforest. They cultivated crops such as maize, squash, and manioc, managed Brazil nut trees, and practiced forms of agroforestry, clearing bamboo thickets only in a way that preserved the overall ecosystem. This sustainable interaction with the environment differentiates them from societies that extensively transformed their landscapes.

The reasons behind the sudden decline or collapse of the Aquiry civilisation remain unclear, though the timing roughly coincides with the collapse of the Maya civilisation in Central America. The discovery of the extensive network of earthworks has led researchers to estimate that the broader region could contain between 24,000 and 30,000 similar structures yet to be fully documented.

Indigenous peoples of the Amazon have long known about these ancient earthworks, often regarding them as sacred sites. The recent technological advances allowing researchers to map the landscape beneath the dense canopy have opened a new chapter in understanding the complexity and historical significance of Amazonian societies.