The following documentary puts to rest the idea that the Amazon forest is particularly ancient.
It discusses hundreds (possibly thousands at this point) of giant 'geo-glyphs' developers and then geographers found once they began clearing land in the 2nd half of the last century.
These earthen structures are enormous. Interviewees date them to between 2,000 and 700 years old.
Taking what we know about how landscapes can be ablated (that is, thoroughly scrubbed clean) during periods of catasclysmic upheaval, I wonder if these 'geo-glyphs' are actually parts of the foundations of ancient dwellings, and that whatever civilization once lived there was completely wiped out? It wouldn't even take cometary interaction to cause it... Maybe there's no accompanying evidence because several 'wipeout' periods have passed since they were built?
Layered over that are what appear to be far more recent human habitats. One of the early Spanish explorers' testimony is included - he describes enormous teaming cities deep in the heart of the forest... in the 16th century. Apparently whole regions can drastically change in a very short span of time.
Other interviewed geologists provide evidence for large-scale urban development more complex than medieval Europe. The Amazon forest appears to have swallowed towns and cities connected by roads!
As the narrator says towards the end:
It discusses hundreds (possibly thousands at this point) of giant 'geo-glyphs' developers and then geographers found once they began clearing land in the 2nd half of the last century.
These earthen structures are enormous. Interviewees date them to between 2,000 and 700 years old.
Taking what we know about how landscapes can be ablated (that is, thoroughly scrubbed clean) during periods of catasclysmic upheaval, I wonder if these 'geo-glyphs' are actually parts of the foundations of ancient dwellings, and that whatever civilization once lived there was completely wiped out? It wouldn't even take cometary interaction to cause it... Maybe there's no accompanying evidence because several 'wipeout' periods have passed since they were built?
Layered over that are what appear to be far more recent human habitats. One of the early Spanish explorers' testimony is included - he describes enormous teaming cities deep in the heart of the forest... in the 16th century. Apparently whole regions can drastically change in a very short span of time.
Other interviewed geologists provide evidence for large-scale urban development more complex than medieval Europe. The Amazon forest appears to have swallowed towns and cities connected by roads!
As the narrator says towards the end:
"The idea of a vast, unbroken, holy, pristine, virgin forest is no longer credible."