"Lost Amazonian Cities: Uncovering Ancient Urban Centers"

Archaeologists have uncovered a cluster of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, revealing a dense network of settlements and connecting roadways that were home to at least 10,000 farmers around 2,000 years ago. The settlements, occupied by the Upano people, featured residential and ceremonial buildings on more than 6,000 earthen mounds surrounded by agricultural fields with drainage canals. The discovery challenges the perception of the Amazon as a pristine wilderness and sheds light on the complex and early societies that existed in the region.