Photo: Luis Aceves | Unsplash
A huge Maya city has been discovered centuries after it disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico. Archaeologists found pyramids, sports fields, causeways connecting districts and amphitheaters in the southeastern state of Campeche. They uncovered the hidden complex - which they have called Valeriana - using Lidar, a type of laser survey that maps structures buried under vegetation. They believe it is second in density only to Calakmul, thought to be the largest Maya site in ancient Latin America. The team discovered three sites in total, in a survey area the size of Scotland's capital Edinburgh, “by accident” when one archaeologist browsed data on the internet. It appears that the area may have been home to 30,000-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD.
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