How about Valeriana, the huge Maya city hidden under the jungle that was unexpectedly discovered by an anthropologist

• valerian It is an archaeological site of 16.6 km² in the forest. Campeche, MexicoWith squares, pyramids and a ball game.
• The discovery was made possible thanks to an anthropology doctoral student who analyzed data from a study LiDAR technology.
• This discovery highlights the importance of maya city In the development of civilizations in America.

Mandatory: Valeriana, an ancient Maya city, was found in the dense jungle of Campeche, Mexico. With over 6,000 structures, it Classical period settlement (250-900 AD) It shows a sophisticated urban organization with closed plains, pyramids and a system of reservoirs. was an urban complex Identified “by chance” Thanks to a 2013 study conducted using a technique similar to that used to measure distances by laser beams LIDAR’s (Light Detection and Ranging, for its acronym in English).

why it matters: Discovery suggests there are still undiscovered Maya cities. researchers of Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and American universities detailing its relevance in an article in the magazine ancient timesValeriana provides information about the density and organization of Maya cities, which is essential to understanding how Maya civilization influenced the social and urban development of the Americas.

• maya city They were centers of architectural and agricultural innovation.
• They display complex resource management systems relevant to contemporary studies on urbanization.
• This finding highlights the need for further exploration in the areas studied.

archaeological site of valerian is located in the state of CampecheIn Rainforest in south-east MexicoNear the freshwater lagoon of the same name. He National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) Mexicans indicated that the site is approximately 20 kilometers south-west of Chaktun-Tamchen area.

anthropologist luke auld-thomasof Northern Arizona University, United StatesIt was he who took the most important step towards the final discovery of the settlement by combing through data from previous investigations conducted for forestry studies. His scientist’s intuition I directed him to investigate deeper to find out if that data exists Hidden information about Maya civilization.

“I was in the Page 16 of Google Internet Search And I found a laser study done by a Mexican environmental monitoring organization,” Auld-Thomas told the British network BBCIn the context of LiDAR studies, A technique that allows mapping of structures hidden beneath vegetation.

Thanks to a previous study from 2013 that focused on monitoring carbon dioxide emissions, Researchers identified 6,674 undiscovered Maya structures.

auld-thomas led that investigation Details of valerian revealed together with experts from Tulane UniversityHe National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico and this National Airborne Laser Mapping Center at the University of Houston.

The reason this Maya city remains hidden has to do with traditional methods of archaeological work. The use of LiDAR significantly boosted archaeological studies of the area, allowing researchers Discover structures that would otherwise remain hidden.

according to auld-thomasNew technologies have allowed us to discover cities, agricultural fields and other remains of the Maya civilization over the past 12 years: “LiDAR allows us to map large areas quickly and in extraordinary detail, suddenly revealing what We didn’t know how much.”

valerian This is a colony of Classic Maya period (250-900 AD) with the expansion of 16.6 km²The researchers detailed that they found “two main centers with monumental architecture” and elements such as “enclosed plazas, connected by a wide road, pyramidal buildings, a ball court” and a reservoir system.

archaeologist Adriana Velazquez MorletThe director of the INAH center in Campeche reported that “the density of Valeriana is comparable to Maya sites such as Calakmul, Oxpemul and Bacon”, which highlights the archaeological relevance of the discovery.

“For a long time, our sample of Maya civilization covered an area of ​​only a few hundred square kilometers in total,” Auld-Thomas told the newspaper. Guardian. “This specimen was obtained with great effort by archaeologists, who carefully visited every square meter, cutting the vegetation with a scalpel, to see if they were standing on piles of rocks This could have been someone’s home 1,500 years ago,

valerian can live among 30,000 and 50,000 residents As reported by the BBC, it was at its peak between 750 and 850 AD.

The largest known Maya city is calakmulme too Logwood. This is a declared site world Heritage For UNESCORepresents a major political center of the classical period. city ​​with area of 70 square km and over 6,000 structuresAt its peak it covered an area of ​​13,000 square km.

With its majestic pyramids and more than 120 stelae scattered among the structures, it is located in the second largest nature reserve in the Americas. Its occupation dates back to 20 centuries before our era and, between 250 BC and 700, it emerged as the most influential city in the Maya lowlands, surpassing other cities in the current territory of Mexico in relevance.

Modern Rediscovery of Calakmul 1931 for him Biologist Cyrus Lundell, Who gave it to the famous researcher Sylvanus G. Told Morley. It was not until 50 years later that archaeologists from the Autonomous University of Campeche and INAH began excavations that allowed us to learn more about its history and greatness.

The Maya civilization, one of the most complex and advanced civilizations of the American continent, covered a wide area of ​​325,000 square km. Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. This geographically diverse region, which included forests, highlands, and dry lowlands, presented environmental challenges, such as the lack of rivers in some areas, which the Maya overcame. simple hydraulic system Such as ponds and water storage in cenotes.

Mayan cities were unique to themselves monumental architecture Made of limestone, according to INAH, with “full control of manufacturing processes”. In addition, cities had water storage systems such as chultunes and an “iconography that had many forms during the Classical period.”

The Classic period (200–950 AD) was the peak of civilization, highlighted by large cities with monuments that reflected the political-religious system, with rulers declaring themselves divine arbiters. In the Postclassic period (900–1200 AD), migration and architectural changes affected sites such as Chichen Itza and Tulum.

The Maya culture is known for its limestone architecture with lime mortar, intricate artistic designs, and the extensive use of jade, shell, and wood in jewelry and sculptures. His astronomical and almanac knowledgeIt also allowed for agricultural management, reflected in the orientation of its buildings. Socially, the Maya had a pyramidal structure, with a ruling elite and a class that worked to provide for their needs. Sophisticated political and economic organization based on intensive agriculture and trade contributed to the high urban density of the Classical period. Ball games, with religious connotations, were a long-standing practice and are still preserved in some modern communities.