Archaeologists Discover Hidden Ancient Mayan Cities in Remote Jungle Wilderness
Researchers uncovered a 2,000-year-old Mayan city using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology. The findings revealed a 650-square-mile area with 964 sites, including 417 cities and villages. Additionally, a 110-mile network of stone trails demonstrated the complexity of early Maya civilization. Richard Hansen, the lead study author and professor of anthropology at Idaho State University, noted, 'They were the world’s first superhighway system that we had. What was amazing about the causeways was that they united all these cities together like a spiderweb, forming one of the earliest state societies in the Western Hemisphere.' Let's look at some of the valuable findings about the Mayan civilization.
Superhighways and Connected Roads
The Mayan causeways had been built with a mix of mud and stone, layered with limestone cement. The locals had likely created these elevated paths by making stone boxes and then filling and stacking them. Some causeways had been about 131 feet wide, nearly half the length of a football field. Locals had called these 'Sacebes,' which meant 'white road.' These pathways had a thick layer of white plaster on top, which helped with visibility. Marcello Canuto, an anthropology professor and director of the Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University, told CNN, "The causeways were efforts that involve a lot of people, a lot of labor and coordination. They are complex work projects that would have required coordination and some form of hierarchy."
Maya Thrived Without Pack Animals
Canuto shared with CNN, "They didn’t have any pack animals in the Maya region, and we didn’t think they had wheeled vehicles on these causeways, like Roman chariots. However, they were built for people to interact, communicate, and probably travel between sites." The absence of pack animals meant that locals had to struggle daily to transport goods and build materials. They relied on each other, carrying items manually or using other methods like rafts to move goods.
Vibrant Mayan Culture
The Mayans showcased their rich cultural and mythical connections through their civilization. Knewz.com explored the elaborate writing system with hieroglyphs and codices which were used to record their knowledge about astronomy, calendars, and mythology. Their cities featured advanced architecture, including impressive buildings with intricate carvings and murals, as reported by Live Science. Nixtun-Ch'ich, now known as Petén, Guatemala, had pyramids and temples arranged in a grid pattern, demonstrating careful city planning. Additionally, their advanced farming techniques and extensive trade networks highlighted their economic and cultural vibrancy."
Long Pyramids and Dense Vegetation
"The National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico explained how they had discovered ancient structures in Campeche, which was covered in thick vegetation, during their exploration of the Central Maya Lowlands. The Maya civilization was known for its 15-meter-tall pyramids, temples, and stone buildings in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Ivan Sprajc, who led the team, said in a statement released by INAH and reported by BBC, "The site would have served as an important regional center. Additionally, the site probably underwent significant changes between 800 and 1000 AD before falling victim to the collapse of the Lowland Maya civilization in the 10th century."
Maya Thriving in the Rainforest
One captivating aspect of the Maya civilization was that it thrived in a tropical rainforest. Despite having few rivers and no irrigation systems, the region was rich in vegetation and other resources. Although the area lacked silver and gold, the Maya utilized natural resources like limestone for building, obsidian for tools and weapons, and salt. They also valued jade, quetzal feathers for costume decoration, and marine shells used in ceremonies and warfare.
Sprajc shared with ABC News, "It is possible that they were markets or spaces for community rituals, but only future research will shed light on the functions of these groups, which represented a regional peculiarity."