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archaeology

LiDAR Mapping in the Guaviare Region of Colombia Uncovers 2,000-Year-Old 'High-Altitude Ritual Plazas' and Concentric Stone Walls

📅 April 9, 2026 📰 National Geographic
LiDAR Mapping in the Guaviare Region of Colombia Uncovers 2,000-Year-Old 'High-Altitude Ritual Plazas' and Concentric Stone Walls

Using advanced LiDAR technology, researchers have peered through the dense canopy of the Colombian Amazon to find a previously unknown complex of stone structures. The site, located on a remote plateau in the Guaviare region, consists of twelve large circular ritual plazas connected by a network of raised stone causeways, hidden for two millennia under tropical vegetation.

Initial ground surveys suggest the site was a major cultural center dating back to 100 CE. The concentric wall patterns and solar-aligned gateways indicate a sophisticated understanding of celestial movements by these early mountain dwellers. This discovery significantly expands the known extent of complex pre-Columbian societies in the northern Amazonian highlands.

Original source: National Geographic