The Brazilian government has confirmed the existence of a previously unknown group of so-called uncontacted people who have remained isolated from industrial society.

In April, the Brazilian government agency charged with protecting the country's indigenous tribes took aerial photographs of the group's Amazon dwellings. The photos were released June 22 by Survival International, an advocacy group for indigenous people.

Survival International research director Fiona Watson talked to Wired.com about the photos.

The structure of the dwelling is very different from those seen in photographs of another uncontacted Amazon group that were released in February. Unlike those small, open dwellings, these are large and enclosed.

"Probably 20 or 30 people could fit in there," said Watson. "You can see smaller structures toward the back of the house. These could be areas for cooking, or storing things. I've been to indigenous villages where they have separate structures for keeping the large birds from which they pluck feathers to make arrows."

Image: Peetsa/Arquivo CGIIRC-Funai