Lost City of Z
Encyclopedia
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
. This mysterious city is referenced in a document known as Manuscript 512
, housed at the National Library of Rio De Janeiro
by Portuguese explorer (bandeirante) João da Silva Guimarães who wrote that he visited the city in 1753. The city is described in great detail without providing a specific location. Fawcett allegedly heard about this city in the early 1900s and went to Rio de Janeiro
to learn more, and came across the earlier report. He was about to go in search of the city when World War I
intervened. In 1925, Fawcett, his son Jack, and Raleigh Rimell disappeared in the Mato Grosso while searching for Z.
's The New Yorker
article "The Lost City of Z" (2005) was expanded into a book The Lost City of Z
(2009) and a forthcoming movie. It was reported that an archaeologist, Michael Heckenberger, might have found the city at the site known as Kuhikugu
. He had discovered clusters of settlements (20 settlements in all) with each cluster containing up to 5000 people and said "All these settlements were laid out with a complicated plan, with a sense of engineering and mathematics that rivalled anything that was happening in much of Europe at the time."
Using Google Earth
, three scientists may have found the lost city in the upper Amazonian basin, near the Brazilian-Bolivian border. Geometric shapes carved into the earth have been identified in a report as remnants of roads, bridges and other man-made structures over a 155 mile area.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
surveyor, to a city that he thought existed in the jungle of the Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
region of Brazil
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...
. This mysterious city is referenced in a document known as Manuscript 512
Manuscript 512
Manuscript No. 512 is a file of papers housed in the collection of the Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro which details the account of a 1753 expedition by Portuguese treasure-hunters in Brazil...
, housed at the National Library of Rio De Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
by Portuguese explorer (bandeirante) João da Silva Guimarães who wrote that he visited the city in 1753. The city is described in great detail without providing a specific location. Fawcett allegedly heard about this city in the early 1900s and went to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
to learn more, and came across the earlier report. He was about to go in search of the city when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
intervened. In 1925, Fawcett, his son Jack, and Raleigh Rimell disappeared in the Mato Grosso while searching for Z.
Lost City found?
David GrannDavid Grann
David Grann is an American literary journalist and best-selling author. He has written about a range of subjects, from New York City's antiquated water supply system to the hunt for giant squid to the U.S...
's The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
article "The Lost City of Z" (2005) was expanded into a book The Lost City of Z
The Lost City of Z (book)
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon is a non-fiction book by American author David Grann. It tells the story of the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett who, in 1925, disappeared with his son in the Amazon while looking for an ancient lost city. For decades, explorers...
(2009) and a forthcoming movie. It was reported that an archaeologist, Michael Heckenberger, might have found the city at the site known as Kuhikugu
Kuhikugu
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...
. He had discovered clusters of settlements (20 settlements in all) with each cluster containing up to 5000 people and said "All these settlements were laid out with a complicated plan, with a sense of engineering and mathematics that rivalled anything that was happening in much of Europe at the time."
Using Google Earth
Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
, three scientists may have found the lost city in the upper Amazonian basin, near the Brazilian-Bolivian border. Geometric shapes carved into the earth have been identified in a report as remnants of roads, bridges and other man-made structures over a 155 mile area.
Sources
- Fawcett, Percy and Brian Fawcett. - Lost Trails, Lost Cities Funk & Wagnalls (1953)
- Furneaux, Rupert. The World's Strangest Mysteries. Ace Books. New York. 1961.
- The Guardian: Veil lifts on jungle mystery of the colonel who vanished. 21 March 2004, URL accessed 19 May 2007.
- Smith, Warren. Lost Cities of the Ancients-Unearthed!. Zebra Books. New York. 1976.
- Time: Fawcett of the Mato Grosso. 25 May 1953, URL accessed 18 May 2007.