Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One was killed, another injured in a raid by an Israeli drone on the city of Khiam in South Lebanon
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.

Ancient village in Amazon possibly based on Pleiades star cluster

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Art Newspaper
  • 14 Aug 2023 14:49
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

The Brazilian village was used for around 500 years, until the 10th century.

  • x
  • A bowl from Formoso that possibly had a ritual or ceremonial function (Alexandre Guida Navarro/The Art Newspaper)
    A bowl from Formoso that possibly had a ritual or ceremonial function (Alexandre Guida Navarro/The Art Newspaper)

It is possible that a prehistoric town in Brazil served as a site for ritual or ceremonial gatherings with a Pleiades star cluster as its inspiration. Following a survey of the pre-Hispanic stilt houses in northeastern Brazil's estuaries of the Maranho River, archaeologists came across the discovery. Formoso was one of the settlements examined, and it stood out due to its distinctive layout, elaborate pottery, size, and duration of use.

In the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, archaeologist Christopher Davis of McHenry County College in Illinois published the research with archaeologist Alexandre Guida Navarro of the Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Brazil, and said it looks to them "that the Formoso site may have been an elite ritual meeting site where sacred knowledge (like astronomy) was shared."

In Formoso, the crew investigated and found clusters of stilts that originally held larger structures than would be expected for residences, as well as unusually ornate ceramics with a fusion of local and foreign forms. 

Formoso, one of the several stilt villages examined, also demonstrated the longest period of continuous use; radiocarbon data showed that it was founded as early as 441CE and was sustained for around 500 years -- a marker of its significance.

Intriguingly, Navarro observed that the clusters of stilts that supported Formoso's buildings didn't follow the typical rectangular or circular patterns of Amazonian stilt towns or villages on land. The result was an odd design for Formoso. 

"We then considered other possible construction patterns (for defense, as fishing weirs, to reduce drag resistance of water currents or wind) and those scenarios didn’t fit either," Davis says.

Related News

51,000-year old cave painting oldest evidence of storytelling

2 skeletons discovered at the ancient Roman city of Pompeii

The two researchers didn't notice Formoso's striking resemblance to the Pleiades, a star cluster that was very important to Lower Amazonian tribes, until they started looking at constellation patterns.

"Finding a resemblance to a constellation was a bit of a surprise, but it was not surprising that the star cluster was the Pleiades," Davis says. "If any astronomy marker were used, it makes sense that it would have been the Pleiades."

According to Davis, the Pleiades' emergence in the Lower Amazon signaled the start of the dry season, a period during which residents repaired structural damage to their homes, restored and relocated fishing weirs and dams, and prepared their fields for the upcoming growing season.

It was also the time of year when some civilizations staged rites of passage ceremonies, and it was the most advantageous for individuals to travel great distances for business or to visit loved ones. The star cluster itself was interpreted as a beehive, a honeycomb, a valuable trade good, or a bundle of fire sticks for clearing the fields.

"It was very challenging to find ways to test whether or not the similarity to the Pleiades was just by chance," Davis says. "We had to learn and calculate several statistical correlation tests and probability to demonstrate that the resemblance is greater than 95% confidence—the standard level of confidence for scientific significance."

Together, the evidence from Formoso gives a suggestion that the village was a seasonal ceremonial or ritual center, where people from various locations gathered, and that its arrangement was a homage to the Pleiades as a changing seasons' herald.

Formoso's similarity to the Pleiades is now unmatched among the Amazonian stilt settlements, and it may continue to be so even with more study. 

  • archeology
  • ancient civilization
  • Hispanic
  • Brazil
  • star cluster
  • Archaeologists
  • Formoso
  • Amazon

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS