Help us make history and discover a new civilization

In 1925, legendary explorer Percy Fawcett descended into the Amazon jungle for his 7^th and final expedition in search of a lost city he called “Z”. He was never seen again. And like Fawcett, “Z” remains lost to this day. But this may soon change. Years of deforestation in the southwestern Amazon have revealed many large earthen geoglyphs throughout the region, providing evidence of large-scale permanent settlement and complex civilization. Remote sensing in the form of LiDAR now also allows us to see through the thick jungle canopy from above to identify even more of these glyphs hidden below. Yet, few researchers have exploited this interdisciplinary technology.

We are changing that, and you can be a part of history with us. This is the GOJIRA project (Geoglyph Observations through Jungle Imagery in Remote Amazonia). Missouri State University archaeologists, in collaboration with Terra Incognita Research Institute, have now utilized this cutting-edge LiDAR technology to identify numerous never-seen-before geoglyphs hidden deep within the Brazilian Amazon. But there is still work to be done. The team now needs to get boots on the ground and confirm these amazing discoveries in person. We will be heading into the jungle, off-trail, and on-foot to document these unbelievable archaeological features. And we need your help. Your generous donations will help pay for travel expenses for this first expedition into the Amazon to fully document these exciting new discoveries.

With the threat of deforestation all around, the preservation of these newly discovered archaeological features is critical. In the year 2025, on this 100th anniversary of Percy Fawcett's final expedition, there couldn't be a more perfect moment than now to complete his mission of discovering lost civilizations in the Amazon. The time is now. Join us in this historical expedition.

Want to learn more about the GOJIRA project? Check out the bigger story.

You can also check out the Terra Incognita Research Institute.

Thank you in advance for supporting us. None of this would be possible without you.

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Pierce.

*Your charitable donation is tax-deductible.

In addition, alumni who make a gift of $50 to a qualifying area become a Very Important Bear (VIB) and get exclusive benefits, including access to the Foster Rec Center with a daily usage fee and 20% discount on BearWear at the Missouri State University bookstore.