Xinguano

The Xinguano is a Native American culture from the southern Amazon Basin in central Brazil. The culture is associated with the "lost cities of the Amazon."

History

Much of the history of the Xinguano is unknown. It is known that the culture was once an urban society, but, was devastated by the arrival of Old World diseases in the sixteenth century. Following the collapse of their society due to widespread disease, the Xinguano abandoned their cities. Similar to many other native cultures following the arrival of Europeans.

When European traders arrived in the region, there may have been as many as 10,000 Xinguano living in the area. However, European slavers appeared soon after. Most of the Xinguano were enslaved or killed by disease. By the twentieth century there were as little as 500 Xinguano left.

Pre-Columbian cities

In 2003 remnants of Xinguano cities were revealed by satellite imagery. The cities were centered around central plazas. From these plazas, wide roads were spread radially from the center of the city at separate angles. Within the cities there were large areas of tended forest area. It is unclear if these tended areas were used for cultivation, or were used as parkland. Between the separate cities and villages there were large roadways, some as wide as 150 ft (~46 meters).

Currently, there is evidence of over a dozen separate settlements, four of which are being considered "major" urban centers.

Current status

Currently there is a small community of Xinguano living in rural Brazil. Their culture is being actively studied by several academic groups from Brazil and United States.

External links

* [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/301/5640/1710?siteid=sci&ijkey=LJeCeuYlCQLBY&keytype=ref ScienceMag Article]
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077413/ MSNBC Article]