Kuhikugu
Encyclopedia
Kuhikugu is an archaeological site located in Brazil
, at the headwaters of the Xingu River
, in the Amazon Rainforest
. The area around Kuhikugu is located in is part of the Xingu National Park
today. Kuhikugu was first uncovered by anthropologist Michael Heckenberger, working alongside the local Kuikuro
people, who are the likely descendants of the original inhabitants of Kuhikugu.
In the broad sense, the name refers to an archaeological complex including twenty towns and villages, spread out over an area of around 7700 square miles (19,942.9 km²), where close to 50,000 people may have once lived. Kuhikugu was likely inhabited from a period of time around 1,500 years ago to a time as recently as 400 years ago, when the people living there were likely killed by diseases brought over by Europe
ans.
Strictly speaking however, Kuhikugu is settlement X11 of this complex, located on the eastern shore of Lake Kuhikugu at the coordinates given above. There, as well as at other former settlements of the Kuhikugu complex, satellite imagery
reveals that even today the forest differs from surrounding pristine areas, and ground-based exploration reveals this to be an effect of the anthrosol, known to the Kuikuro as egepe. Directly to the north of the X11 site there is a Kuikuro village, the small size of which provides an interesting comparison to the large area of egepe which indicates the prehistoric settlement.
Large defensive ditches and palisades were built around some of the communities at Kuhikugu. Large plazas also exist at some of the towns throughout the region, some around 490 feet (149.4 m) across. Many of the communities at Kuhikugu were linked, with roads which bridged some rivers along their paths, and with canoe canals running alongside some of the roads. Fields of manioc (cassava
) may have existed around the communities at Kuhikugu, suggesting that the people there were farmers. Dams and ponds which appear to have been constructed in the area also suggest that the inhabitants of Kuhikugu may have been involved with fish farming, which is still practiced by some of their modern day Kuikuro descendants.
There is a possibility that legends regarding Kuhikugu may have influenced the British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett
to go on his ill-fated last expedition in 1925, looking through the Amazon rainforest for what he called "City Z
."
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, at the headwaters of the Xingu River
Xingu River
The Xingu River , also called Rio Xingu, is a 1,230-mile long, river in north Brazil; it is a southeast tributary of the Amazon River.-Description and history:...
, in the Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
. The area around Kuhikugu is located in is part of the Xingu National Park
Xingu National Park
The Parque Nacional Xingu is located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil and was created on April 14, 1961, signed by President Jânio Quadros. The area of the park is 2,642,003 ha., and it is contained in the municipalities of Mato Grosso; Canarana, Paranatinga, São Félix do Araguaia, São José do...
today. Kuhikugu was first uncovered by anthropologist Michael Heckenberger, working alongside the local Kuikuro
Kuikuro
The Kuikuro are an indigenous ethnic group from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. Their language, Kuikuro, is a part of the Karib language family. The Kuikuro have many similarities with other Xingu tribes...
people, who are the likely descendants of the original inhabitants of Kuhikugu.
In the broad sense, the name refers to an archaeological complex including twenty towns and villages, spread out over an area of around 7700 square miles (19,942.9 km²), where close to 50,000 people may have once lived. Kuhikugu was likely inhabited from a period of time around 1,500 years ago to a time as recently as 400 years ago, when the people living there were likely killed by diseases brought over by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans.
Strictly speaking however, Kuhikugu is settlement X11 of this complex, located on the eastern shore of Lake Kuhikugu at the coordinates given above. There, as well as at other former settlements of the Kuhikugu complex, satellite imagery
Satellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
reveals that even today the forest differs from surrounding pristine areas, and ground-based exploration reveals this to be an effect of the anthrosol, known to the Kuikuro as egepe. Directly to the north of the X11 site there is a Kuikuro village, the small size of which provides an interesting comparison to the large area of egepe which indicates the prehistoric settlement.
Large defensive ditches and palisades were built around some of the communities at Kuhikugu. Large plazas also exist at some of the towns throughout the region, some around 490 feet (149.4 m) across. Many of the communities at Kuhikugu were linked, with roads which bridged some rivers along their paths, and with canoe canals running alongside some of the roads. Fields of manioc (cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
) may have existed around the communities at Kuhikugu, suggesting that the people there were farmers. Dams and ponds which appear to have been constructed in the area also suggest that the inhabitants of Kuhikugu may have been involved with fish farming, which is still practiced by some of their modern day Kuikuro descendants.
There is a possibility that legends regarding Kuhikugu may have influenced the British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett
Percy Fawcett
Lt. Colonel Percival Harrison Fawcett was a British artillery officer, archaeologist and South American explorer....
to go on his ill-fated last expedition in 1925, looking through the Amazon rainforest for what he called "City Z
Lost City of Z
The Lost City of Z is the name given by Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett, a British surveyor, to a city that he thought existed in the jungle of the Mato Grosso region of Brazil...
."
External links
- Biello, David. "Ancient Amazon Actually Highly Urbanized." Scientific AmericanScientific AmericanScientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
. August 28, 2008.