Sacred Geographies of Ancient Amazonia: Historical Ecology of Social Complexity (New Frontiers in Historical Ecology) (Volume 3)

The legendary El Dorado—the city of gold—remains a mere legend, but astonishing new discoveries are revealing a major civilization in ancient Amazonia that was more complex than anyone previously dreamed. Scholars have long insisted that the Amazonian ecosystem placed severe limits on the size and complexity of its ancient cultures, but leading researcher Denise Schaan reverses that view, synthesizing exciting new evidence of large-scale land and resource management to tell a new history of indigenous Amazonia. Schaan also engages fundamental debates about the development of social complexity and the importance of ancient Amazonia from a global perspective. This innovative, interdisciplinary book is a major contribution to the study of human-environment relations, social complexity, and past and present indigenous societies. The legendary El Dorado & mdash;the city of gold & mdash;remains a mere legend, but astonishing new discoveries are revealing a major civilization in ancient Amazonia that was more complex than anyone previously dreamed. Scholars have long insisted that the Amazonian ecosystem placed severe limits on the size and complexity of ancient its cultures, but leading researcher Denise Schaan reverses that view, synthesizing exciting new evidence of large-scale land and resource management to tell a new history of indigenous Amazonia. Schaan also engages fundamental debates about the development of social Contents 6 List of Figures and Table 8 Chapter 1: Introduction: Historical Ecology and Archaeological Landscapes in Amazonia 10 Chapter 2: Moving Earth, Managing Water 30 Chapter 3: Land of the Ancestors 80 Chapter 4: Ponds, Lakes, and Feasts: The Cultural Geography of Anthropogenic Soils 106 Chapter 5: Marks on the Earth: Territoriality and Memory 142 Chapter 6: Conclusion 178 References 196 Index 222 About the Author 234 Introduction : Historical Ecology And Archaeological Landscapes In Amazonia -- Moving Earth, Managing Water -- Land Of The Ancestors -- Ponds, Lakes, And Forests : The Cultural Geography Of Anthropogenic Soils -- Marks On The Earth : Territoriality And Memory. Denise P. Schaan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 195-220) And Index. Scholars have long insisted that the Amazonian ecosystem placed severe limits on the size and complexity of its ancient cultures, but leading researcher Denise Schaan reverses that view, revealing a major civilization in ancient Amazonia that was more complex than anyone previously dreamed.