Archaeologists have uncovered thousands of previously unknown ancient Maya structures in southeast Mexico, including an entire hidden city named Valeriana, complete with impressive pyramids.
The research identified over 6,600 structures, many of which are located near modern settlements, and was published in the journal Antiquity.
The study utilised LiDAR data, a remote sensing technique that can reveal hidden archaeological features, to analyse parts of Campeche state, a relatively unexplored area of the Maya world.
The findings support the idea of a “populous and urban ancient Maya landscape” in the examined region.
The results also suggest there is much more evidence of urbanism yet to be discovered in the central Maya Lowlands, a region encompassing parts of present-day Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican states of Campeche and Quintana Roo.
This area, known for its tropical forests, limestone plains and seasonal wetlands, was a key hub of the ancient Maya civilisation, particularly during the Classic Period (A.D. 250 to 900).
Lead author Luke Auld-Thomas of Northern Arizona University said: “Our analysis not only revealed a picture of a region that was dense with settlements, but it also revealed a lot of variability.
“We didn’t just find rural areas and smaller settlements. We also found a large city with pyramids right next to the area’s only highway, near a town where people have been actively farming among the ruins for years.
“The government never knew about it; the scientific community never knew about it. That really puts an exclamation point behind the statement that, no, we have not found everything, and yes, there’s a lot more to be discovered.”
The groundbreaking study has uncovered a sprawling network of previously undiscovered Maya settlements, including a full-fledged city dubbed Valeriana.
This significant urban centre boasts two central areas of grand architecture over a mile apart, yet connected by a swath of continuous settlement and signs of extensive land modification.
Valeriana’s larger complex is said to possess “all the hallmarks” of a Classic Maya political capital, as per the research findings.
These include several enclosed plazas linked by a wide causeway, temple pyramids, a ball court, and a reservoir created by damming an arroyo – a dry creek bed or gully that fills with water after heavy rains or flash floods.
Evidence points to the settled region associated with this city extending even beyond the scope of the LiDAR survey area.
The authors concluded: “The discovery of Valeriana highlights the fact that there are still major gaps in our knowledge of the existence or absence of large sites within as-yet unmapped areas of the Maya Lowlands.
“[We] can only conclude that cities and dense settlement are simply ubiquitous across large swaths of the central Maya Lowlands.”