Road construction in the Amazon, a process often linked to deforestation, is also revealing a rich ancient history. Archaeological surveys along the BR-156 highway in Brazil's northern state of Amapa have unearthed significant discoveries from long before European colonisation.
Among the findings from nine dig sites are pottery vases, potentially serving as funerary urns, alongside small artefacts crafted to resemble human faces. Lúcio Flávio Costa Leite, who manages the Archaeological Research Center at Amapa’s Institute for Scientific and Technological Research, described the complex nature of these projects, stating: "What we now about the region’s past is also tied to the opening created by these projects, which gives our relationship with them a somewhat ambivalent character." He added this new knowledge compels closer attention and "permanent protection measures."
