Impact of pre-Columbian "geoglyph" builders on Amazonian forests.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 114(8): 1868-1873, 2017 02 21.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28167791
ABSTRACT
Over 450 pre-Columbian (pre-AD 1492) geometric ditched enclosures ("geoglyphs") occupy â¼13,000 km2 of Acre state, Brazil, representing a key discovery of Amazonian archaeology. These huge earthworks were concealed for centuries under terra firme (upland interfluvial) rainforest, directly challenging the "pristine" status of this ecosystem and its perceived vulnerability to human impacts. We reconstruct the environmental context of geoglyph construction and the nature, extent, and legacy of associated human impacts. We show that bamboo forest dominated the region for ≥6,000 y and that only small, temporary clearings were made to build the geoglyphs; however, construction occurred within anthropogenic forest that had been actively managed for millennia. In the absence of widespread deforestation, exploitation of forest products shaped a largely forested landscape that survived intact until the late 20th century.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Arqueologia
/
Conservação dos Recursos Naturais
/
Floresta Úmida
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article