GEO 3001 Dicussion 6

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Florida International University *

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3001

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Geography

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Discussion 6 Theme 1: facts and content 1. Describe established historical narrative (“the view” or “dogma” according to one narrator) of the Amazon rainforest with regard to human habitation. 2. What scientific evidence is presented to overthrow the established historical narrative of the Amazon? Provide as many examples as you can. Theme 2: your reaction 1. Have these films challenged your assumptions or shifted your ideas of the Amazon rainforest? Wilderness? Indigenous peoples in the Amzaon? Theme 1 According to the Lost Cities Found in the Amazon Rainforest film, the established historical narrative of the Amazon rainforest with regard to human habitation was that the Amazon rainforest was an inhospitable region with poor soils, infertile land, hard conditions, and limited resources. This led to the belief that human habitation was impossible until about a thousand years ago. This narrative completely dismissed the idea of ancient advanced civilizations thriving in the Amazon due to the lack of food resources, but little did they know that they were completely wrong about that. The second narrative assumes the Amazon as a wild and untamed jungle, believed to be sparsely inhabited by primitive communities lacking advanced technology, permanent settlements, or sophisticated agricultural systems according to the film, Ancient Civilizations in the Amazon Rainforest. Early explorers even called it a "green hell". According to early explorers and archeologists, the people of the Amazon were thought of as lacking resources, tools, stone houses, and agricultural systems, but they were wrong about this too. The indigenous population changed the Amazon in such a drastic way and it is still seen throughout the land today.

Discussion 6 Some of the scientific evidence that was presented to overthrow the established historical narrative of the Amazon was:  The identification of Dark Earth by archeologists, also known as Terra- Petra. Dark Earth or Terra-Petra was made by indigenous communities, dating back as far as four thousand years ago. This soil is less acidic than normal Amazon soils and is full of nutrients like calcium and phosphorus, making it great for farming. Ancient human occupation and their time spent on the land is evident through transition soil. It can be seen that the darker soil (Terra-Petra) is at the top while the natural lighter soil is at the bottom.  The discovery of man-made food forests. Archeologists are finding man-made food forests near sights of old settlements. The latest research shows that most of the wilderness in the Amazon is more of a carefully cultivated garden. The people of the Amazon knew exactly what they were doing concentrating edible fruit trees in specific places to ensure their food resources for the years coming.  The lasting impact of ancient human occupation on the forest. Studies have shown that indigenous communities like the ones in the Amazon, that utilize nature while not destroying it, have been the most effective protectors of the forest, even though they have been threatened, displaced, and even killed by those who want the land. Ancient communities changed the forest to fit their everyday needs and even after hundreds of years of abandonment you still see the signature of these forests that were changed.  Advance systems of the ancient indigenous Amazonians. Photos of huge geometrical structures called henges, provide evidence of ancient non-destructive land utilization in the Amazon. These henges are perfectly aligned to true north, south, east, and west. This demonstrates sophisticated astronomical and geometrical knowledge at work in the Amazon. The scales of the sites as well show that they were highly organized projects measuring hundreds of meters. Lidar technology has provided the opportunity to identify many more of these sites without destroying the jungle. Theme 2

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