Lost Maya City Was Discovered By Accident in Mexico

The Ancient Maya is often recognized as one of the most advanced and greatest civilizations in history. They are well-known for their art, architecture, math, calendars, and astronomy.

Did you know that the Maya civilization lasted for more than 2,000 years? 

Their civilization was at its peak during the Classic Period, which was from about 300 A.D. to 900 A.D. During this era, they made important advances in astronomy and developed effective ways to grow crops like corn, beans, squash, and cassava. 

They even built remarkable cities without modern tools, created one of the first written languages, and kept track of time using two detailed calendar systems. The Maya were also the first to domesticate animals.

If you think about it, the Ancient Mayans contributed a lot to the foundation of the life we have now. 

Amazing, right?

However, this civilization started to decline between the late 8th and 925th centuries. Its populations decreased, and the once lively areas were taken over by the jungle. Experts still debate the reasons behind this decline, but many theories suggest overpopulation, climate change, deforestation, warfare, or political problems.

The Ancient Maya were also conquered by Spanish colonizers between 1517 and 1546 AD. The Spanish also brought new diseases that heavily impacted the Maya. They even attempted to erase the Mayan culture. In 1697, the Spanish captured the last independent Maya city, Nojpeten. 

Sadly, the ruins of Maya cities were forgotten until the 1800s when explorers and archaeologists rediscovered them.

But did you know that a lost Maya city was recently discovered in Mexico? It revealed structures covered by thick vegetation for more than 1.000 years. 

Archaeologists have uncovered over 6,000 ancient Mayan structures hidden in Campeche, a coastal city in southeastern Mexico. 

It’s known for its well-preserved historic architecture, colorful buildings, and fortified walls, which were built to defend against pirates long ago. 

Researchers called this city an archaeological “blank spot,” which refers to historical areas or periods without much archaeological evidence.

Aside from the unknown Maya structures, the team also found a large city they named Valeriana. They named it after a nearby lagoon.

Now, you might be curious about how the researchers discovered a hidden city that had been lost for hundreds of years.

How The Lost Maya City Was Discovered

They discovered the ancient Maya city using LiDAR (light detection and ranging). This technology sends thousands of lasers from above, which helps them map and see through the thick forest and analyze the archaeological landscapes. 

The data used in this study was gathered from around 122 square kilometers (47.1 sq mi) of airborne Lidar information collected in 2013. This was part of a project called Alianza, which focuses on reducing emissions caused by deforestation and forest damage.

Archaeologists recently analyzed the data and discovered the large ancient city that they believe might have supported 30,000 and 50,000 people, around 750 to 850 AD.

They also located pyramids, sports fields, causeways linking different areas, and amphitheaters in the southeastern state of Campeche.

Would you believe me if I told you that the discovery was accidental? 

Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane University, discovered the LiDAR survey while looking online for information about environmental monitoring. After he had studied the data using archaeological techniques, he found the city of Valeriana.

“I was on something like page 16 of a Google search and found a laser survey done by a Mexican organization for environmental monitoring,” explains Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane university in the US.

More About Valeriana

Valeriana is considered one of the most important Maya archaeological sites. It has slightly fewer structures than Calakmul, the largest site in ancient Latin America.

Researchers have found 6,764 buildings in Valeriana and nearby areas. The number of communities in Valeriana is similar to that of other well-known Maya cities. 

The city was around 16.6 square kilometers (6.4 sq mi) and had two main areas with big buildings about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) apart. 

Two plazas also featured temple pyramids. The Maya used these places for worship, kept treasures like jade masks, and buried their dead there.

Like major Maya cities, Valeriana had a water reservoir, a ball court, and large roads connecting open plazas. 

Researchers suggest that discovering a reservoir in this city means people relied on the land to support a large population. This might also be an important factor, along with environmental issues, on why the civilization collapsed.

Just a fun fact: no actual photos of the lost city are available now because it has never been explored before. 

Finding More Maya Cities

Auld-Thomas pointed out that “there is still a lot to discover” in the Central Maya Lowlands, which includes parts of modern-day Guatemala, Belize, and some states in Mexico.

Thanks to the Lidar technology, archaeologists can now get clear images of landscapes, even beneath thick layers of trees.

This discovery will help us better envision the size and variety of Mayan communities and how advanced ancient people lived for thousands of years.