TL;DR
A PhD student at Tulane University discovered a significant Maya city in Mexico through lidar data analysis, revealing a densely populated site previously unknown. The find challenges assumptions about the region’s historical civilization decline.
A PhD student at Tulane University has accidentally discovered a large Maya city in Mexico while analyzing lidar survey data, marking a significant archaeological breakthrough. The find provides new insights into the complexity and density of Maya civilization and challenges previous notions of regional decline.
Luke Auld-Thomas, a doctoral researcher, identified the city, named Valeriana, after analyzing laser survey data collected by a Mexican environmental organization. The discovery was made while browsing the internet and processing the data using archaeological methods, revealing a site covering approximately 16.6 square kilometers with pyramids, plazas, causeways, and evidence of large-scale urban planning.
The city appears to have been a major political and cultural center, with two large centers connected by dense housing and causeways, and possibly supporting 30,000 to 50,000 inhabitants around 750-850 AD. The site includes temples, ball courts, reservoirs, and burial sites, indicating complex social and religious practices. The discovery was made in the Campeche region, close to a major road near Xpujil, and remains largely unexplored due to its remote location.
Why It Matters
This discovery challenges the long-held belief that tropical regions like southern Mexico were sparsely populated or abandoned after the Classic Maya collapse. Instead, it suggests the area was densely settled, with complex urban centers that supported large populations. The find may reshape understanding of Maya civilization’s resilience and adaptation, and highlights the potential for many more undiscovered sites using lidar technology.
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Background
Over the past decade, lidar technology has revolutionized archaeological surveys in tropical regions, uncovering numerous lost cities beneath dense jungle canopy that were previously hidden. The Maya civilization, known for iconic sites like Calakmul and Tikal, has long been studied, but many sites remain undiscovered due to vegetation cover. The recent use of lidar has significantly expanded the known extent of Maya urbanism, with this latest discovery adding to a growing list of sites that challenge previous assumptions about regional decline after 800 AD.
“It was just sitting there, hidden in plain sight. I was stunned when I realized what I was seeing.”
— Luke Auld-Thomas
“This discovery supports the idea that the Maya region was densely populated and culturally complex, even during periods of decline elsewhere.”
— Professor Marcello Canuto
“The landscape was definitely settled in the past, contradicting the notion that it was uninhabited or wild before modern times.”
— Professor Elizabeth Graham
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What Remains Unclear
It is still unclear how extensive the city is, what specific role it played in Maya civilization, or why it was abandoned. The site has not yet been excavated, and further research is needed to confirm its age, function, and historical significance. Additionally, the full extent of other undiscovered sites in the region remains unknown.
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What’s Next
Researchers plan to conduct targeted excavations and detailed surveys of Valeriana to better understand its structure, history, and cultural significance. Future lidar scans and archaeological expeditions are expected to reveal more about the city’s role within the Maya civilization and uncover additional undiscovered sites in the region.
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Key Questions
How was the city discovered?
The city was discovered accidentally by a PhD student analyzing lidar survey data found online, which revealed structures beneath the jungle canopy that had previously gone unnoticed.
What is lidar technology?
Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technique that uses laser pulses from aircraft to map objects below dense vegetation, revolutionizing archaeological surveys in jungles and tropical regions.
Why is this discovery important?
It challenges existing ideas about Maya civilization decline, showing that large, complex cities existed in the region well after the supposed collapse, and suggests many more undiscovered sites may exist.
What are the next steps for researchers?
Further archaeological excavations, detailed surveys, and analysis of the site are planned to uncover its full extent and understand its historical context and significance.
Could there be more undiscovered sites nearby?
Yes, lidar technology has already revealed numerous previously unknown sites in the region, and ongoing surveys are likely to uncover many more in the future.
Source: reddit
