Ancient settlements found beneath Suriname's rainforest canopy

Archaeologist Renzo Duin has spent more than two decades documenting dense archaeological landscapes hidden under Suriname's forest canopy. Speaking to Mongabay, Duin described pottery fragments and a ditch-enclosed site he found in what his team perceived as pristine rainforest, during a 2004 expedition into the mountainous tri-border area shared by Brazil, Suriname and Guyana. Experts cited by Mongabay say the country pledged to permanently protect 90% of its forests, yet they warn that neglecting Indigenous stewardship history leaves the ecosystem exposed to ongoing illegal deforestation. Illegal gold mining, Mongabay reports, pollutes Suriname's rivers with mercury and cyanide.