Archaeologists have discovered a series of cities lost in the Amazon rainforest that housed at least 10,000 people about 2,000 years ago. This discovery, located near the Andes, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, was made possible thanks to advanced LIDAR technology, which revealed a complex network of settlements connected by extensive roads.

These ancient cities, inhabited by the Upano people between 500 BC and 600 AD, boast over 6,000 tons of land surrounded by agricultural fields and intricate drainage systems. The larger roads were up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) wide, stretching for up to 20 kilometers (12 miles), and connected several settlements, creating what researchers describe as a “lost valley of cities.”

The size and organization of these cities suggest a highly sophisticated society, challenging previous ᴀssumptions about the complexity of ancient Amazon cultures. This discovery is reshaping our understanding of pre-Columbian civilizations in the Amazon, showing that the region was home to advanced, densely populated societies long before European contact.