9,000-Year-Old Artifacts and Skeletons Discovered in Brazil Could Rewrite Country's History

Excavation for a new apartment complex in northeastern Brazil revealed an ancient site that might change understanding of human settlement in the region.

Rosane's Farm, a 15-acre area in Sao Luis, Maranhao State, yielded the remarkable archeological find like human bones and pottery shards suggesting the existence of an ancient civilization, according to a CBS News report. Before beginning the apartment building project, Brazilian construction giant MRV hired Wellington Lage's W Lage Arqueologia to carry out a routine impact study. Little did they anticipate the extraordinary historical find that awaited them.

As the researchers investigated the site's history, 1970s traces and a 1991 human jawbone piece were found. The dig yielded stone tools, pottery fragments, ornamented shells, bones, and 43 human remains, along with over 100,000 items.

A Significant Discovery

The Brazilian Institute for National Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) called the finding "grandiose." Now, 27 archaeologists, chemists, historians, and documentary filmmakers will methodically organize, evaluate, present, and publish their discoveries. The artifacts provide insights into four distinct eras of occupation at the site.

The top layer reveals traces of the Tupinamba people, present during the founding of Sao Luis in 1612. Below that, evidence of Amazon rainforest peoples is followed by a "sambaqui," a mound of pottery, shells, and bones used by some Indigenous groups for homes or burials. The deepest layer, around 6.5 feet below the surface, reveals a group that crafted rudimentary ceramics and lived 8,000 to 9,000 years ago.

This groundbreaking discovery challenges existing timelines, suggesting human settlement in the region occurred at least 1,400 years earlier than previously believed. To precisely date the artifacts, archaeologists plan to employ isotopic analysis.

IPHAN emphasized that the site represents a landmark in understanding prehistoric Brazil, highlighting the role of archaeology in preserving the nation's memory and history. The construction of a lab and museum at the Federal University of Maranhao, funded by MRV, underscores the significance of these findings in providing unique insights into the culture and history of ancient peoples.

Ancient human skeletons from 16,000 years ago were found in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in July last year. This discovery shows a link to the ancient population that founded the Americas around 16,000 years ago and gave birth to Indigenous peoples like the Tupi, per News-Medical.Net.

Lost Cities Found in Ecuador

Coincidentally, the latest archeological finding in Brazil aligns with the revelation of a cluster of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, showcasing the rich history of ancient civilizations in South America. As reported by The Guardian, Archaeologist Stéphen Rostain's observation of earthen mounds and buried roads in Ecuador's Bolivian rainforest, coupled with recent laser-sensor technology mapping, uncovered a hidden network of settlements and roadways thriving for around 1,000 years in the Andean foothills.

Referred to as a "lost valley of cities," the Upano people occupied these settlements between 500 BC and AD 300-600, contemporaneous with the Roman Empire in Europe. The complex boasted over 6,000 earthen mounds, residential and ceremonial structures, and expansive roads, indicating a sophisticated infrastructure. With an estimated population of at least 10,000 inhabitants, this discovery provides valuable insights into the complex societal structures of ancient civilizations in South America.