Described as an ‘unbelievable discovery,’ the massive ‘ghost’ of the Amazon rainforest is a valley housing cities that are 2,500 years old.

The shocking discovery of this “ghost valley” stems from suspicions raised two decades ago by archaeologist Stephen Rostain (French National Center for Scientific Research) during his exploration of the Amazon rainforest.

It involves buried mounds and pathways found scattered in the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon forest.

To unravel the mysteries of one of the densest and most challenging-to-explore forests in the world, Dr. Rostain and his colleagues employed LiDAR, a remote sensing tool that uses laser beams to create 3D maps of hidden structures.

What emerged amidst the lush canopy was utterly astonishing: a network of ancient settlements comprising interconnected cities. These settlements were inhabited by the Upano people from around 500 BCE to approximately 300-600 CE.

According to archaeologist Antonie Dorison, co-author of the study, the structures indicate that this entire ghost valley was once home to at least 10,000 people over about 1,000 years. During peak periods, the population could have reached 15,000-30,000 individuals.

Dr. Rostain described this as an “unbelievable discovery,” while archaeologist Michael Heckenberger from the University of Florida, not involved in the research, commented: “For the region, it really is in a league of its own, considering its time.”

Dr. Heckenberger’s remarks imply that the construction expertise and social organization of the cities in the “ghost valley of the Amazon forest” surpassed those of civilizations in the region and even worldwide.

Remaining evidence indicates a dense occupational network and an extremely complex society. Archaeologist Jose Irarte, also an outsider to the research, explained that it would require an organized and intricate labor system to build a network of roads within and connect the cities, as well as various other structures.

These inhabitants faced an even greater challenge: constructing cities with mud bricks due to the absence of abundant stone resources like those available to the Maya or Inca civilizations.

All of this completely upends the longstanding belief that the Amazon is a pristine wilderness, inhabited only by small tribes in the past.