In the southeastern state of Campeche, Mexico, archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery of a massive Maya city that had been hidden under the jungle canopy for centuries. Known as Valeriana, this lost city was found using Lidar technology, a laser survey method that reveals structures beneath vegetation. It is believed to be the second most densely populated Maya site after Calakmul, which is considered the largest ancient Maya city in Latin America.
The accidental discovery of Valeriana came about when Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane University, stumbled upon a Lidar survey conducted by a Mexican environmental monitoring organization. By processing the data with archaeological methods, he uncovered the remains of a city that may have been home to 30,000 to 50,000 people between 750 and 850 AD. This finding challenges the notion that tropical regions were places where civilizations declined, as it demonstrates the rich and complex cultures that thrived in these areas.
Valeriana, named after a nearby lagoon, served as a capital city with two major centers connected by dense housing and causeways. The city covered approximately 16.6 square kilometers and featured temples, plazas, and a ball court where the Maya people engaged in religious practices and games. The presence of a reservoir suggests that the landscape was utilized to support a large population.
In addition to Valeriana, Auld-Thomas and his team surveyed two other sites in the region, uncovering a total of 6,764 buildings. This extensive mapping of the area showcases the advanced urban planning and architectural achievements of the ancient Maya civilization. The research supports the idea that Maya settlements were not isolated villages but rather complex cities or towns that were densely populated.
The decline of Maya civilizations from 800 AD onwards may have been influenced by factors such as climate change, warfare, and Spanish conquest. The intense population density and environmental challenges posed by drought conditions could have contributed to the unraveling of the societal system. The use of Lidar technology has revolutionized archaeological surveys in tropical regions, enabling researchers to discover numerous lost civilizations that were previously hidden beneath dense vegetation.
While the discovery of Valeriana opens up new avenues for understanding ancient Maya culture, the sheer number of sites waiting to be explored poses a challenge for archaeologists. With many more cities likely to be found in the future, researchers must prioritize their efforts to study and preserve these invaluable remnants of the past. The findings of this research have been published in the academic journal Antiquity, shedding light on the enduring legacy of the Maya civilization and the fascinating history of Mesoamerica.