Centuries Before the Aztec and Inca Empires Existed, Locals Built Something Incredible in the Colombian Jungle

A new analysis of the pre-Hispanic field systems of La Mojana in the Colombian Caribbean has revealed that the site’s complex structures and earthworks were likely built by a local, cooperative, leaderless group in a short period of time, without a central organizing authority. The findings challenge previous beliefs that the site’s construction was overseen by a hierarchical central authority on the path to becoming a more organized, state-level society like the Maya. The study suggests that the canals and raised field system cover 500,000 hectares of land, roughly the same size as the Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. and three times as large as London. The canals and raised fields managed water volumes during rainy seasons and redirected it in more arid seasons, helping the locals buffer their primary food source against floods and droughts and create more fertile soils for crop cultivation. The study estimates that a small, relatively leaderless, highly cooperative workforce could have built the canals in less than two months, with a labor investment far lower than previously assumed.

• The study estimates that the workforce was about 800 people, based on 1,600 estimated individuals.
• The canals were in use from the first centuries BC until the 11th century AD.
• The team used satellite imagery to map out the site and identify 1,600 ridges and 63 housing platforms.
• The formula used to quantify the labor considered social and spatial organization, local geology, population density, and available technologies.
• The study suggests that local communities were capable of organizing themselves to build the canals without relying on a powerful external force.

The research highlights that pre-Hispanic societies were inventive and cooperative, working with nature rather than obstructing it. The findings suggest that ancient indigenous solutions could help solve modern problems, such as managing water and soil in the region. The study emphasizes that local populations may need resources from the state but not necessarily state intervention. The study is the first to show that sustainable solutions can be organized locally and collectively, with the potential for modern-day implementation.

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