What started as the routine construction of an apartment complex has turned into an archaeological discovery that could completely rewrite the history of Brazil.
According to a recent announcement from The National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute and a report from CBS, more than 100,000 artifacts and more than 40 skeletons have already been discovered at the dig site. Despite this already being a monumental find, one archaeologist associated with the excavation says they’ve “barely scratched the surface.”
An Unexpected Find
In 2019, experts with W Lage Arqueologia were hired by a construction company to perform an impact study at the site of a proposed apartment complex. Much to the surprise of everyone involved, this study uncovered everything from stone tools to ancient bones. While this endeavor may have started as a business formality, it has now turned into a four-year excavation that could upend what we think we know about Brazil and ancient civilizations that may have lived in the region.
What Was Found?
According to the team leading the excavation, the archaeological discoveries have come in layers.
Near the top, excavators have found artifacts relating to the Tupinamba people, who were native to the region around the 1600s.
Below that, they also uncovered evidence of earlier people living in the Amazon, including mounds that are believed to have been used as either housing or for burial.
However, the really exciting discoveries started getting uncovered when archaeologists had dug roughly six and a half feet down. It was here that they found ceramic objects that were dated to be anywhere from 8,000 to 9,000 years old!
Why Was This a Big Deal?
Until now, the earliest signs of civilization in the area were dated to around 6,600 years ago. The fact that these newly discovered artifacts are potentially thousands of years older than that has experts rethinking the history of Brazil and when ancient people could have settled in the region.
What Comes Next?
Currently, this historic excavation is ongoing, which means that there are potentially even more, even older artifacts that will be discovered in the future. What else is contained at the dig site remains to be seen.
Additionally, there’s lots of work to be done preserving, cataloging, and closely studying the artifacts that have already been uncovered. While the scientists involved are confident with the proposed date range for the oldest objects, a more accurate reading can be obtained if the artifacts undergo isotope analysis.
Regardless of what comes next, these exciting discoveries have already made waves in the world of archaeology and Brazilian history.
In their announcement about the excavation, the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute said, “The discovery … highlights the importance of archaeology in preserving the memory and history of Brazil, offering valuable insights into our ancestry and contributing significantly to the understanding of our origins and identity as a nation.”
It doesn’t always seem this way, but it turns out that history isn’t always as settled and done as we think it is! Who knows what we’ll discover next?
