Lost Indigenous Cities by Benjamin Ramirez

Lost Indigenous Cities unveils the remarkable, often overlooked, urban achievements of pre-Columbian America.
Challenging traditional historical narratives, the book explores the sophisticated architectural ingenuity, intricate social structures, and sustainable practices of indigenous societies long before European contact.
These cities demonstrate a high level of social organization, technological innovation, and environmental awareness.
Discoveries reveal widespread urbanization, sophisticated infrastructure, and intricate social organization, exemplified by monumental architecture and innovative urban planning in places like Cahokia, Caral, and various Mayan centers.

The book progresses by first introducing indigenous urbanism and its challenge to traditional perspectives.
It then details monumental architecture and urban planning, followed by examinations of social and political structures.
Finally, the approach investigates sustainable practices.

By centering the narrative on indigenous achievements, Lost Indigenous Cities challenges Eurocentric biases, offering a comparative analysis of urban centers across different regions of the Americas to identify common themes and unique adaptations.