Over 400 Mayan Cities Discovered

The other day as I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, I came across something interesting. It was a post about scientists making a discovery of ancient Mayan cities hidden deep within a dense forest. I was intrigued, so decided to digg deeper.

In Guatemala, scientists found 417 ancient Mayan cities hidden in a dense forest. These cities, dating back to around 1000 B.C., were connected by a network of highways covering 177 kilometers. This discovery challenges what we knew about the Mayan civilization and suggests they were more advanced than previously thought.

Using radar technology, researchers mapped the structures hidden under the forest, revealing roads, hydraulic systems, agriculture infrastructure, and even ball courts. Lidar technology played a crucial role in uncovering intricate details like ancient vegetation.

This discovery is not just important for archaeology, but it could also change how we think about the history of the American continent. It helps us learn more about how the Mayan communities were organized socially and politically.