In recent years, Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) technology has transformed the way scientists study ancient civilizations, allowing them to analyze vast areas from the comfort of a lab. Such is the case with a research team from Tulane University, which has uncovered the existence of vast unexplored Maya settlements in the Mexican state of Campeche.
The research project, led by doctoral student Luke Auld-Thomas alongside his advisor, Professor Marcello A. Canuto, both affiliated with Tulane’s Middle American Research Institute (MARI), used Lidar technology to study an area of 130 square kilometers in Campeche. This study resulted in the discovery of over 6,500 pre-Hispanic structures, including a previously unknown large city with stone pyramids, characteristic of Maya monumental architecture.
Lidar works by emitting laser pulses that measure distances and generate detailed 3D models of terrain, even in densely vegetated areas like tropical rainforests. This technology makes it possible to detect landscape anomalies that may represent structures such as pyramids, dwellings, and other infrastructure belonging to the Maya civilization, thereby aiding archaeologists and anthropologists in exploring hard-to-reach areas.
According to Canuto, who is also the director of MARI, Lidar shows us that, like many other ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya built a variety of cities and communities within their tropical landscape. The research, published in the journal Antiquity, focuses on a part of Campeche that had previously been overlooked in traditional archaeological research.
According to Auld-Thomas, the Lidar analysis revealed not only a densely populated region but also a significant variety of settlements. They found not only rural areas and small communities but also a large city with pyramids, close to the only road in the area, near a village where farmers have been working among the ruins without the government or scientific community being previously aware of its existence.
This discovery is particularly striking, as it underscores how much remains unknown about the Maya and that there is still much to uncover. Through the application of Lidar technology, MARI has opened a new dimension in archaeological research, a breakthrough made possible by funding from the Hitz Foundation, which has supported the institute’s efforts in remote sensing data collection and analysis for the past decade.
MARI’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lab, headed by research professor Francisco Estrada-Belli, is a reference in Lidar data analysis, allowing the team to delve into the complex settlement patterns of the Maya.
In addition to revealing previously unknown cities, this research provides valuable evidence for ongoing debates about the actual extent of Maya settlements and their population density. As Auld-Thomas points out, Lidar enables rapid and accurate mapping of extensive areas, generating a detailed picture of the distribution of structures. However, it has been argued that previous studies have focused mainly on large, well-known sites like Tikal, which could have distorted perceptions of the Maya lowlands. Some critics suggest that most of the Maya area might have been predominantly rural, with large settlements being the exception rather than the norm.
The findings in Campeche challenge this view, showing that the Maya civilization developed a network of communities of different sizes and levels of complexity in a vast tropical setting. In Canuto’s words, like other ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya wove a rich diversity of towns and communities into their surroundings. While some areas are filled with agricultural patches and high population density, others contain only small communities. Nonetheless, we can now see the impact the Maya had on their environment to support a complex and long-lasting society.
SOURCES
Auld-Thomas L, Canuto MA, Morlet AV, et al. Running out of empty space: environmental lidar and the crowded ancient landscape of Campeche, Mexico. Antiquity. 2024;98(401):1340-1358. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.148
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