The Earthworks at Western of Amazon, Brazil: A Geoarchaeological Perspective

Summary

In this paper, we will bring a geoarchaeological perspective in order to identify settlement patterns in two geometric earthworks (geoglyphs) located in the eastern region of the state of Acre in the Brazilian Amazon. Physical and chemical soil analysis suggests how the past inhabitants on those sites affected the soils. The results show that the settlement pattern and the most important differences from the other regions we have looked at, for instance, in the várzea (floodplain) area. In opposition of the larger villages along the White Water Rivers (at the Amazon or Madeira rivers), in the uplands the dispersed pattern surely existed to make best use of the soils. Therefore, we propose that the geometric earthworks are statements of power within the regional societies, made by people with similar cultural understanding. Soil analysis will also indicate how the people in the past were using the areas and the methods used to build the geometric earthworks. This will help us to have a better understand of the meaning of the geographic earthwork for those societies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22467