Ancient Mayan City Discovered in Mexican Jungle
Ancient Mayan City Discovered in Mexican Jungle
The Facts
A doctoral candidate at the Northern Arizona University has accidentally discovered a long-lost Mayan city — now named Valeriana by archaeologists — in Mexico. The city, now buried under the forest 50 sq. miles off Campeche, is estimated to have flourished between 750 and 850AD.
Anthropologist Luke Auld-Thomas stumbled onto the find when he revisited a 2013 survey done for a forest monitoring project using the Lidar remote sensing technology to generate 3D images of the site. Researchers now suggest there may be many more such lost cities to be found.Anthropologist Luke Auld-Thomas stumbled onto the find when he revisited a 2013 survey done for a forest monitoring project using the LIDAR remote sensing technology to generate 3D images of the site. Researchers now suggest there may be many more such lost cities to be found.
The Spin
Imagine peering through time using beams of light and strands of DNA — that's exactly how modern archaeologists are revolutionizing our understanding of Maya civilization. LIDAR technology has unveiled vast networks of ancient roads and cities hidden beneath the jungle canopy, completely transforming what we thought we knew about Maya transportation and urban planning. Meanwhile, DNA analysis is uncovering surprising secrets about their agricultural prowess, revealing previously unknown crops they cultivated. What once took researchers years to map on foot can now be accomplished in days, breathing new life into ancient stories and challenging long-held theories.
When we peer beneath the surface of art and artifacts using modern technology, are we opening doors that were meant to stay closed? Consider Van Gogh's hidden self-portrait, discovered through X-ray beneath another painting — a revelation that raises thorny questions about artistic privacy beyond the grave. While technologies like X-ray imaging and LIDAR unveil precious historical secrets, they also challenge our respect for the past's intended boundaries. When an artist deliberately conceals their work, or ancient cultures carefully seal their burial grounds, perhaps we should question whether our technological ability to uncover these secrets gives us the right to do so.