Is Fish Farming the Generator of Many of the World's Civilizations?
We are following the leads across the savannas and bringing together the research on the aquatic roots of early societies.
We hope you find this article useful—it’s an ongoing Observatory research project that will be updated.
If you have expertise or insight on the topic that you think could be useful, please send us a note.
We hope you find this article useful—it’s an ongoing Observatory research project that will be updated.
If you have expertise or insight on the topic that you think could be useful, please send us a note.
Introduction
The Casarabe people of northern Bolivia, who thrived between A.D. 500 and 1400, engineered extensive networks of drainage canals and ponds across the Amazonian savannas. These sophisticated water-management systems enabled the production of two maize crops annually, suggesting a highly organized approach to large-scale resource management. Similar aquatic technologies, including complex fishing traps, have been documented in both Maya and Van contexts, indicating that intensive aquaculture may have been a foundational requirement for the growth of early civilizational centers.
Our investigation examines the archaeological remains of these earthworks to determine how aquatic infrastructure supported high population densities in diverse environments. We explore the traditional ecological knowledge used by indigenous communities to maintain these systems over centuries. We are following the leads across the savannas and bringing together the research on the aquatic roots of early societies.