Archaeologists have discovered a large Maya city, named Valeriana, hidden beneath the jungle canopy in Campeche, Mexico. The discovery was made using Lidar, a laser survey technology that maps structures under vegetation. The city is estimated to have been inhabited by 30,000 to 50,000 people during its peak between 750 and 850 AD.

  • Significance: Valeriana is believed to be the second densest Maya site in ancient Latin America, after Calakmul. The discovery challenges the notion that the Tropics were where civilizations declined. Instead, it highlights the existence of sophisticated and thriving cultures in these regions.

  • Features: Valeriana spans approximately 16.6 square kilometres and boasts two main centres with substantial buildings connected by a network of houses and causeways. The city includes:

    • Two plazas with temple pyramids.
    • A ball court.
    • A reservoir, suggesting advanced water management for a sizable population.

  • Accessibility: Valeriana is remarkably close to modern civilization, located just a 15-minute walk from a major road near Xpujil. Although the city’s existence may have been suspected by local inhabitants due to the presence of earth mounds, no known images of the site exist.

  • Decline: The reasons for Valeriana’s abandonment are not fully understood, but archaeologists believe climate change was a major contributing factor. The city’s high population density may have made it vulnerable to environmental challenges, leading to its eventual collapse. Warfare and the Spanish conquest in the 16th century further contributed to the decline of Maya city-states.

  • Wider Implications: Valeriana’s discovery underscores the transformative impact of Lidar technology on archaeological research. It allows for rapid and efficient surveys of densely vegetated areas, revealing lost civilizations. This technology has led to the identification of numerous Maya sites, highlighting the vast scale and complexity of this ancient civilization. The sheer number of discoveries has presented archaeologists with a challenge: there are now more sites than resources and time allow for excavation and study.

← Previous
Next →