Hidden Mayan City Discovered in Mexican Jungle Using Lidar Technology

A newly discovered Mayan city, named Valeriana, has emerged after centuries of being hidden under jungle vegetation in Campeche, Mexico. Found using advanced Lidar technology, the site reveals an expansive urban layout featuring pyramids, sports fields, and residential areas, challenging previous notions of ancient tropic civilizations.

A significant archaeological breakthrough has occurred in the jungles of Mexico, where a previously unknown Mayan city has been discovered utilizing Lidar technology, which allows for penetrating radar surveys of regions covered in dense vegetation. The ancient city, named Valeriana, was accidentally identified when researcher Luke Auld-Thomas stumbled upon radar survey data while exploring the internet.

Located in the southeastern state of Campeche, this sprawling urban complex includes pyramids, sports fields, and even a court likely used for ancient ball games, indicating that it was once a vibrant center of Mayan culture, potentially housing 30,000 to 50,000 residents between 750 and 850 AD. The size of Valeriana is comparable to that of Edinburgh, Scotland, making it one of the largest known Mayan sites, second only to Calakmul.

Using the remote sensing capabilities of Lidar, which emits thousands of radar pulses from an aircraft, researchers were able to accurately map the structures hidden beneath layers of jungle. This technique has revolutionized archaeological methods, allowing experts to uncover lost civilizations at a pace and scale previously unimagined. Despite the proximity of the site to existing roads, no one had explored Valeriana until this recent discovery, underscoring how much of the past remains concealed in the natural world.

The findings challenge earlier perspectives suggesting that the tropics were inhospitable for advanced civilizations. Professor Marcello Canuto, a co-author of the study, emphasized that regions like this were home to complex societies rather than isolated communities. While the exact reason for Valeriana’s abandonment remains unclear, researchers suggest that climate change played a significant role, compounded by social factors such as warfare and the incursion of Spanish invaders in the 16th century.

Despite the exciting nature of the discovery, Auld-Thomas mentioned the limitations faced by archaeology today—many more cities remain hidden, and resources are insufficient to excavate all newfound sites. As Lidar technology continues to advance, archaeologists anticipate unveiling a trove of untapped ancient civilizations, changing our understanding of the historical landscape of the Mayans and beyond. The research findings were published in the journal Antiquity, setting the stage for further exploration into the rich, lost history of the ancient Maya.