Vast Maya Kingdom Is Revealed in Guatemalan Jungle

Archaeologists identify a sprawling network of ancient ruins using laser mapping technology

Jan. 30, 2023 7:34 am ET

Part of the ancient Maya city El Mirador in northern Guatemala that was detailed using light-detection and ranging equipment. Photo: Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies

Nestled in the jungle of northern Guatemala, a vast network of interconnected Maya settlements built millennia ago has been mapped in unprecedented detail.

The civilization featured towering pyramids, palaces, terraces, ball courts and reservoirs connected by a sprawling web of causeways, an international group of archaeologists reported during a presentation at Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala City this month. 

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