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A Lost Mayan City Uncovered in Mexico

A remarkable archaeological find has emerged from the dense jungles of southeastern Mexico, where the remnants of a vast Mayan city, named Valeriana, lay hidden for centuries. Spanning over 16 square kilometers, the site features an estimated 6,764 man-made structures, making it the second-largest known site in the region, surpassed only by Calakmul, located about 100 kilometers away.

Interestingly, despite its proximity to the town of Xpujil, this ancient metropolis had remained undiscovered by archaeologists until recently. The breakthrough came from Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD researcher from Tulane University, who stumbled upon a laser survey conducted by a Mexican environmental monitoring organization while searching online. This crucial data, which was buried deep in search results, had previously gone unnoticed by others in the field.

Auld-Thomas utilized advanced processing techniques, similar to those developed by the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping, to re-examine the survey data. His efforts resulted in a comprehensive map that unveiled the scale and complexity of Valeriana.

A Glimpse into Valeriana’s Past

Initial assessments of the site provide valuable insights into its historical significance. At its height, between 750 and 850 AD, Valeriana is believed to have housed between 30,000 and 50,000 residents. The central area of the city showcased impressive architecture, including several temple pyramids, an extensive ball court, and enclosed plazas linked by causeways. Additionally, it featured a reservoir and residences designed in an amphitheater style. Notably, evidence suggests that Valeriana was established prior to 150 AD, indicating a long period of urban development.

Further southwest of the bustling city center, researchers discovered a more modest residential zone, characterized by ring-shaped structures that indicate the production of lime plaster by its inhabitants.

The core area of the site lies at the edge of the scanned data, raising the possibility that even more structures remain undiscovered just beyond the current survey limits. This discovery serves as a profound reminder that complex human civilizations flourished in tropical regions long before European colonization, challenging pre-existing beliefs about the Americas being sparsely populated.

“There’s much more to uncover, and we certainly have not revealed everything,” stated Auld-Thomas, emphasizing the potential for further exploration and discovery.

Advancements in Archaeological Exploration

The story of Valeriana also illustrates the evolving techniques in archaeological research. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology proves to be a game-changer, capable of penetrating through dense forests to reveal hidden sites across vast terrains. While the cost of implementing such technology has traditionally limited its application, Auld-Thomas’s work demonstrates that existing, unutilized datasets from other remote sensing projects can be leveraged for archaeological purposes.

This innovative approach raises intriguing possibilities: what other ancient marvels might be lurking in overlooked civil engineering assessments or ecological surveys waiting to be discovered?

Source
explorersweb.com