Archaeologists Uncover Hidden Maya City Surrounded by Lush Jungle

A team of archaeologists has found a lost Maya city, named Valeriana, just off a major highway in southeastern Mexico, revealing intricate urban features including temple pyramids and residential areas, previously hidden by dense jungle.

Deep within the dense, rich canopy of the Campeche jungle in Mexico, a team of archaeologists has unveiled the impressive ruins of a lost Maya city named Valeriana, located merely a short walk from a major roadway. Until this point, the ancient city's existence had eluded both local and international archaeologists, shrouded by thick layers of vegetation over centuries.

Marcello Canuto, an archaeologist from Tulane University, expressed awe at the find, noting the ease with which significant discoveries can escape notice when enveloped by nature. The team utilized advanced aerial scanning techniques, originally intended for ecological studies, to locate the remnants of the city.

Among the striking findings within the scans are large temple pyramids, a palace complex, expansive public plazas, and intricate water management systems including reservoirs and dams. Additionally, they discovered a wide processional causeway connecting various complexes situated atop neighboring hills.

Luke Auld-Thomas, a doctoral student at Tulane who played a pivotal role in the team's discovery, noted the remarkable resemblance of the ruins to the traditional designs one would expect of a Maya city. This includes evidence of residential structures, agricultural terraces, and surrounding gardens, which speak to the advanced urban planning and sophisticated agricultural practices of the Maya civilization.

The revelation of Valeriana not only enriches the understanding of Maya civilization but also emphasizes the vastness of their settlements, suggesting that many more hidden cities may lie waiting to be discovered in similarly unexplored areas of the surrounding jungle.