"It was a common idea that the Amazonian forest was a virgin wilderness, occupied only by small groups of hunter-gatherers," Mr Parssinen said. Mr Parssinen likened the Aquiry's political organisation to that of ancient Greece rather than a unified empire. Despite its enormous population, the Aquiry civilisation managed to thrive without devastating its natural surroundings. "They lived in harmony in that way with the forest," Mr Parssinen said. Indigenous communities in the region have long been aware of the ancient earthworks, with some sites still regarded as sacred.