Ancient Mayan City Discovered Using LiDAR Technology
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A PhD student discovered a previously unknown Mayan city named Valeriana by analyzing LiDAR survey data online. The city, located in Campeche, Mexico, housed tens of thousands of people during its peak between 750 and 850 AD. This find highlights the power of modern mapping technology to uncover lost civilizations.
Facts First
- A PhD student discovered an ancient Mayan city by reviewing LiDAR survey data found in a Google search.
- The city, named Valeriana, housed 30,000–50,000 people during its peak period around 750–850 AD.
- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology revealed thousands of structures, including pyramids, causeways, and sports fields.
- Valeriana's population density ranks second only to Calakmul, the largest known Mayan site.
- No one has visited the site yet; the discovery is based solely on LiDAR maps.
What Happened
Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane University, discovered the ancient Mayan city while reviewing LiDAR survey data from a Mexican organization. The survey, intended for environmental monitoring, used LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to map the ground from a plane or satellite. The data revealed a complex urban site in Campeche, Mexico, containing pyramids, causeways, sports fields, amphitheaters, and thousands of other structures. Auld-Thomas and a fellow archaeologist named the city Valeriana after a nearby lagoon. The research team identified over 6,674 buildings across three jungle sites they surveyed.
Why this Matters to You
This discovery demonstrates how publicly available data and modern technology can unlock secrets of the past without requiring physical excavation. It may lead to a better understanding of ancient population dynamics and urban planning. For you, it underscores that significant historical knowledge can be found through digital tools, potentially changing how archaeology is conducted and who can participate in it.
What's Next
The site has only been mapped remotely; an in-person visit is likely to be planned to confirm and study the findings on the ground. Further analysis of the LiDAR data could reveal more details about Valeriana's layout and connection to other Mayan sites. The discovery may encourage more archaeologists to utilize similar digital survey data in their research.