LiDAR Technology and the Mysterious Lost Mayan City in Mexico

Nov 9, 2024

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The recent discovery of the mysterious lost Mayan City through advanced laser mapping has captivated the attention of historians, archaeologists, and adventure seekers. According to Wired.com, "The discovery occurred in the southeastern state of Campeche, and archaeologists have named it Valeriana, after a nearby freshwater lagoon. The discovery is roughly the size of Beijing according to ScienceNews.org:.

Archaeologists have long known that the Maya Lowlands, in the southernmost region of Mexico, harbors ancient urban settings (SN: 10/25/21). When archaeologist Luke Auld-Thomas, of Tulane University in New Orleans, was looking at random data online, he saw a dataset that Nature Conservancy Mexico (TNC Mexico) was using to study carbon intake and emissions in that region. He saw that the organization was looking into a place with high archaeological potential and had a hunch there could be structures there.

Discoveries at this site encompass sports fields, amphitheaters, expansive plazas linked by corridors, temple pyramids, and a water reservoir.

This exciting development, facilitated by LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, has not only transformed our understanding of Mayan society but also showcased how modern tools can revolutionize archaeological research. With LiDAR, we are now able to uncover details that were once thought to be lost forever.

The Technology Behind the Discovery of the Mysterious Lost Mayan City

LiDAR technology allows researchers to penetrate thick vegetation and craft high-resolution 3D maps of the landscape below. The system works by sending out laser pulses that bounce off surfaces, returning to the scanner. The time it takes for these pulses to return provides precise measurements, generating detailed topographical models that reveal structures obscured by foliage.

Lost Myan Ruins discovered — The ruins were found in eastern Mexico, in Campeche

Understanding the urban layouts of these cities has significantly changed our perspective on the Mayan civilization. Instead of small villages, many sites are now recognized as complex urban centers with well-planned layouts.

The Unveiling of a Lost Civilization

LiDAR has unveiled extensive urban layouts that suggest higher population densities than previously thought. For example, certain areas now show signs of supporting up to 30,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. According to BBC.com in their article titled, PhD student finds lost city in Mexico jungle by accident, they say:

...when Mr. Auld-Thomas processed the data with methods used by archaeologists, he saw what others had missed - a huge ancient city which may have been home to 30-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD. That is more than the number of people who live in the region today, the researchers say. Mr. Auld-Thomas and his colleagues named the city Valeriana after a nearby lagoon. The find helps change an idea in Western thinking that the Tropics was where “civilizations went to die”, says Professor Marcello Canuto, a co-author in the research....It is “hidden in plain sight”, the archaeologists say, as it is just 15 minutes hike from a major road near Xpujil where mostly Maya people now live.

Implications on Archaeological Research

The introduction of LiDAR into archaeological research has changed the way scholars' study ancient civilizations. Traditional methods often relied on labor-intensive excavation, which could take years. Now, with LiDAR, researchers can map vast areas quickly and efficiently, revealing not only individual structures but also entire city layouts. The Article at BBC.com states:

...surveys were done by foot and hand, using simple instruments to check the ground inch by inch. But in the decade since Lidar was used in the Mesoamerican region, he says it’s mapped around 10 times the area that archaeologists managed in about a century of work. Mr. Auld-Thomas says his work suggests there are many sites out there that archaeologists have no idea about. In fact, so many sites have been found that researchers cannot hope to excavate them all.