Laurence Blair

I think that's part of it. I think the other part of it is that the diseases which Europeans bring to the new world, which indigenous peoples and nations have very little resistance to, they really inflict a terrible toll in the Amazon. As I say, these are quite densely populated, quite mobile communities with these big trading networks. They send ambassadors to each other. They send

I think that's part of it. I think the other part of it is that the diseases which Europeans bring to the new world, which indigenous peoples and nations have very little resistance to, they really inflict a terrible toll in the Amazon. As I say, these are quite densely populated, quite mobile communities with these big trading networks. They send ambassadors to each other. They send

traders, they send explorers. So these are perfect vectors for typhus, malaria, for smallpox. And so I think by the time that Europeans come back in force about a century later in the early 1600s, there's not much evidence left of these people. The villages are now gone and it's just kind of pure jungle.

traders, they send explorers. So these are perfect vectors for typhus, malaria, for smallpox. And so I think by the time that Europeans come back in force about a century later in the early 1600s, there's not much evidence left of these people. The villages are now gone and it's just kind of pure jungle.

traders, they send explorers. So these are perfect vectors for typhus, malaria, for smallpox. And so I think by the time that Europeans come back in force about a century later in the early 1600s, there's not much evidence left of these people. The villages are now gone and it's just kind of pure jungle.

And so there's one Portuguese chronicler who says, you know, these indigenous peoples here in Brazil, they're not like the ones in the Andes or in Mesoamerica. They live in disorder. You know, they're godless, lawless, they're leaderless. And I think that, you know, you mentioned the idea of the Amazon being a land without history.

And so there's one Portuguese chronicler who says, you know, these indigenous peoples here in Brazil, they're not like the ones in the Andes or in Mesoamerica. They live in disorder. You know, they're godless, lawless, they're leaderless. And I think that, you know, you mentioned the idea of the Amazon being a land without history.

And so there's one Portuguese chronicler who says, you know, these indigenous peoples here in Brazil, they're not like the ones in the Andes or in Mesoamerica. They live in disorder. You know, they're godless, lawless, they're leaderless. And I think that, you know, you mentioned the idea of the Amazon being a land without history.

That was famously the conclusion of this Brazilian geographer called Euclides da Cunha. who helped map out Brazil's borders with Peru, and he said, this is a land without history. And I think that idea really has persisted until quite recently. Archaeologists, particularly ones from the United States who came down to Brazil in the 40s and 50s,

That was famously the conclusion of this Brazilian geographer called Euclides da Cunha. who helped map out Brazil's borders with Peru, and he said, this is a land without history. And I think that idea really has persisted until quite recently. Archaeologists, particularly ones from the United States who came down to Brazil in the 40s and 50s,

That was famously the conclusion of this Brazilian geographer called Euclides da Cunha. who helped map out Brazil's borders with Peru, and he said, this is a land without history. And I think that idea really has persisted until quite recently. Archaeologists, particularly ones from the United States who came down to Brazil in the 40s and 50s,

They said, well, look, the soil here in the Amazon has always been washed away by its downpours. There's no stone. There's not enough metal for tools. There's no big animals to hunt. So this is not really a hospitable place. It's really hostile. And even Brazil's military dictatorship in the 70s encourages people to come and settle the Amazon.

They said, well, look, the soil here in the Amazon has always been washed away by its downpours. There's no stone. There's not enough metal for tools. There's no big animals to hunt. So this is not really a hospitable place. It's really hostile. And even Brazil's military dictatorship in the 70s encourages people to come and settle the Amazon.

They said, well, look, the soil here in the Amazon has always been washed away by its downpours. There's no stone. There's not enough metal for tools. There's no big animals to hunt. So this is not really a hospitable place. It's really hostile. And even Brazil's military dictatorship in the 70s encourages people to come and settle the Amazon.

And the slogan is a land without men for men without land. And even today, you have conservationists who I think mean very well, but they will tell you when they're doing their funding drives, they'll say, you know, the Amazon, as I call it, is a vast, untamed wilderness. So the notion of Amazonia as this kind of backwater on the edge of world history, I think is pretty alive and kicking.

And the slogan is a land without men for men without land. And even today, you have conservationists who I think mean very well, but they will tell you when they're doing their funding drives, they'll say, you know, the Amazon, as I call it, is a vast, untamed wilderness. So the notion of Amazonia as this kind of backwater on the edge of world history, I think is pretty alive and kicking.

And the slogan is a land without men for men without land. And even today, you have conservationists who I think mean very well, but they will tell you when they're doing their funding drives, they'll say, you know, the Amazon, as I call it, is a vast, untamed wilderness. So the notion of Amazonia as this kind of backwater on the edge of world history, I think is pretty alive and kicking.

Absolutely, yeah. So this is really cutting edge stuff. And I think it's changing every day. And it's so controversial and exciting. But I think it's the new kind of frontier in world history. And and archaeology. I think one element of how this is changing is the fact we have these new technologies and these new tools.

Absolutely, yeah. So this is really cutting edge stuff. And I think it's changing every day. And it's so controversial and exciting. But I think it's the new kind of frontier in world history. And and archaeology. I think one element of how this is changing is the fact we have these new technologies and these new tools.

Absolutely, yeah. So this is really cutting edge stuff. And I think it's changing every day. And it's so controversial and exciting. But I think it's the new kind of frontier in world history. And and archaeology. I think one element of how this is changing is the fact we have these new technologies and these new tools.