ROSARIO, ARGENTINA—Phys.org reports that a review of satellite images by Pablo Cruz of Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Richard Joffre of the French Center for Scientific Research, and Jean Vacher of France’s Institute of Research for Development has led to the discovery of 135 archaeological sites in highland Bolivia. Dated from A.D. 1250 to 1600, the sites consist of circles made of local materials situated on hilltops. The large amount of pottery fragments from plates, jars, and bowls suggest that they may have served a ceremonial purpose, perhaps in an ancient Andean cult. The largest hilltop site, known as Waskiri, has two concentric circle walls, the outer measuring more than 450 feet in diameter. Ceramic fragments were found between the rings, which are connected by adjoining enclosures, and in a plaza at the circles’ center. The researchers think the design of the circles may have been influenced by Inca culture. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Antiquity. To read about a lidar survey that identified more than 25 pre-HIspanic settlements in southwestern Amazonia, go to "Around the World: Bolivia."
