The ancient Mayan people once inhabited a massive civilization covering an area today in southern Mexico and parts of Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. And while archaeologists have explored numerous pyramid temples and other significant stone buildings in the region, a previously unknown city has now been discovered deep in a Mexican forest. According to a news release from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), researchers have spotted numerous temples, houses, terraces, and canals hidden under thick jungle foliage. In addition, the team has also spotted large pyramid-shaped structures in the newly-discovered city, which has been named Ocumtun—meaning “stone column” in the Yucatec Maya language.
To make the discovery, the team employed radar imaging technology known as LiDAR (light detection and ranging). The technology allows researchers to survey areas of dense vegetation without disturbing the trees or other plant life. It was a critical component in the research at Ocumtun, which involved mapping over 95 square kilometers (37 square miles) of the rainforest using drones equipped with LiDAR. The resulting maps were then stitched together to reveal the city.
The city includes several pyramid-like structures that can reach up to 50 feet (15 meters) in height. It also has three plazas with “imposing buildings” and other sacred stone structures arranged in concentric circles, INAH reports. The city was occupied between 600 and 800 AD, during a period known as the Late Classic. Pottery unearthed at the site indicates it was a powerful city that served as a regional hub, INAH says.
A radial temple at the center of the complex is particularly significant, according to INAH. It is the city’s center point and a vital part of a larger cosmic map, which expresses how the Maya thought about the universe. The temple is situated in a way that emphasizes the four directions and the axis mundi—or world axis—and is positioned at the exact location of the Ceiba tree or Yax Te, which was considered the center of the universe by the Maya.
Moreover, Ocumtun features central altars that could have been designed for community rituals. The team also found a ball court, which is widespread in the Maya culture. The pre-Hispanic game consisted of passing a rubber ball representing the sun across a court without using hands and getting it through a small stone hoop, INAH notes.
In addition, the team found structures that appear to be markets and spaces for public gatherings. But further investigation will be needed to determine their functions, INAH states.
