Archaeologists Unveil Hidden Maya City in Southern Mexico

Researchers, using aerial technology, have uncovered the ancient city of Valeriana, complete with temples, plazas, and signs of human habitation, in the jungles of Campeche, Mexico.

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough, explorers have uncovered a previously unknown Maya city named Valeriana, nestled in the thick jungles of Campeche, Mexico. Located just a short distance from a major highway near the town of Dos Lagunas, this ancient urban site had remained hidden for centuries beneath a dense canopy of trees and foliage.

According to Marcello Canuto, an archaeologist from Tulane University, the discovery highlights the challenge of comprehending the historical richness that lies concealed just beyond one's immediate vision when the forest remains undisturbed. The researchers deployed aerial scanning technology initially developed for ecological studies to identify the site, which boasts all the quintessential elements of a classic Maya urban center.

Luke Auld-Thomas, a doctoral candidate at Tulane, expressed amazement at the extensive remains discovered in the scans, likening the city to the perfect design one might envision for a video game set in the Maya era. The site features impressive temple pyramids, an expansive palace complex, large public plazas, reservoirs, dams, and a monumental processional causeway connecting various complexes spread across hillside terrains.

Additionally, the archaeological team documented signs of everyday life, including residential buildings, terraced agricultural fields, and garden zones, which speak to the industrious nature of the Maya people. The unearthing of Valeriana adds a significant chapter to our understanding of the scope and complexity of Maya civilization, suggesting it was much more extensive than previously acknowledged.