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CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
Ancient Mayan city unearthed in Guatemala, including pyramids and a "unique canal system"
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Mayan city nearly 3,000 years old in northern Guatemala, with pyramids and monuments that point to its significance as an important ceremonial site, the Central American country's culture ministry said Thursday. The Mayan civilization arose around 2000 BC, reaching its height between 400 and 900 AD in what is present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The city named "Los Abuelos," Spanish for "The Grandparents," once stood some 13 miles from the important archaeological site of Uaxactun, in Guatemala's northern Peten department, the ministry said in a statement. It is dated to what is known as the "Middle Preclassic" period from about 800 to 500 BC, and is believed to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centers" of the Mayan civilization in the jungle area of Peten near the Mexican border, it added. "The site presents remarkable architectural planning," with pyramids and monuments "sculpted with unique iconography from the region," said the ministry. The city takes its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found at the site. A photo released by the Guatemalan government shows two anthropomorphic sculptures that "represent an ancestral couple." Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sports The figures, dated between 500 and 300 BC, "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship," said the ministry. "Unique canal system" The city, which covers an area of about six square miles, was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously little-explored areas of the Uaxactun park. Nearby, they also found a pyramid standing 108 feet high with murals from the Preclassic period and "a unique canal system," according to the statement. "The set of these three sites forms a previously unknown urban triangle... These findings allow us to rethink the understanding of the ceremonial and socio-political organization of pre-Hispanic Peten," said the ministry. Officials released a video showing archaeologists digging at the site and recovering a variety of artifacts, as well as an animation of the complex. Officials released a video showing archaeologists digging at the site and recovering a variety of artifacts, as well as animation of the complex. Guatemala's Culture and Sports Ministry In April, scientists discovered a 1,000-year-old altar from Mexico's ancient Teotihuacan culture at Tikal, elsewhere in the Peten department. That find was interpreted as proof of ties between the two pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived about 800 miles apart. Archaeologists also said that the altar was believed to have been used for sacrifices, "especially of children." Tikal, about 15 miles from Uaxcatun, is the main archaeological site in Guatemala and one of its biggest tourist attractions. Last October, an American doctoral student discovered a sprawling Maya city within a dense jungle in Mexico. Scientists and archaeologists have discovered ancient Mayan ruins by shooting lasers down from a plane to penetrate the dense jungle.
CTV News
a day ago
- Science
- CTV News
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex discovered, featuring pyramids and canals
This photo released by the Guatemalan government shows two anthropomorphic sculptures that "represent an ancestral couple." (Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sports via CNN Newsource) Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex in Guatemala, revealing sanctuaries, pyramids and a unique canal system that could shed further light on the ancient civilization, the country's culture minister said Thursday. The complex was discovered across three sites — Los Abuelos, Petnal and Cambrayal — near the significant Mayan site of Uaxactún in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, the ministry said in a statement. The Mayan civilization arose around 2,000 BC and reached its height between 400 and 900 AD, predominantly in modern-day Mexico and Guatemala. During its height, people built temples, roads, pyramids and other monuments, and developed complex systems of writing, mathematics and astronomy. Los Abuelos, which means 'The Grandparents' in Spanish, lies around 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Uaxactún and gets its name from two human-like rock figures found at the site, believed to represent an 'ancestral couple,' the ministry said. These figures, along with several sacred sanctuaries, suggest it was an important site for Mayan rituals, said Luis Rodrigo Carrillo, Guatemala's vice minister of culture and sports, in a press briefing announcing the findings. 'Located here is one of the most important ritual centers in the region, with notable sanctuaries, helping to reassess our understanding of Mayan history,' the ministry said in a video announcing the discovery. East of Los Abuelos lies Petnal, which features a 33-metre-high (108-foot) pyramid. At its peak are two preserved rooms adorned with murals depicting various symbolic representations, Carrillo said. In Cambrayal, around three miles (4.8 kilometres) from Los Abuelos, scientists also identified 'unique' water canals inside a palace, marking a notable discovery, the ministry said. Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex discovered The complex was discovered in northern Guatemala. (Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sports via CNN Newsource) 'These sites form a previously unknown urban triangle whose existence we were unaware of until now… These new archeological discoveries constitute a testament of Mayan culture's greatness, which today we are making known to the whole world,' the ministry said. The discoveries were made by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists, alongside international experts, as part of the Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project (PARU) and with backing from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, officials said. While rare, discoveries of new Mayan sites still occasionally happen, thanks to new research and technological improvements. In April, archaeologists uncovered a mysterious 1,700-year-old altar containing human remains in the nearby ancient city of Tikal, approximately 23 kilometres (14 miles) south of Uaxactún. Although discovered in a ruined Mayan city, archaeologists believe it wasn't decorated by Mayans, but was instead the work of artists trained hundreds of miles away in Teotihuacan. Scientists in recent years have also detected new sites using laser mapping technology, revealing the interconnectivity of Mayan cities, towns and villages. By Alysha Bibi and Diego Mendoza, CNN
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Lenin's tomb to get $250k makeover
Russia's Ministry of Culture has signed a contract to restore Lenin's Mausoleum on Red Square for nearly 20 million rubles (about $250,000), according to official tender records. The restoration will address structural damage and update the site for modern use, project documents show. Work is expected to be completed by mid-2027. The mausoleum, which houses the embalmed body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Russia. It has undergone regular maintenance and has been closed on several occasions in recent years, including for public events. An inspection found several parts of the building to be in poor condition, with some areas requiring urgent repairs. The report also cited crumbling surfaces and mold caused by inadequate ventilation. Lenin remains a divisive figure in Russian history. While some view him as a visionary who led the 1917 October Revolution to establish a fairer society, others regard him as a tyrant responsible for mass repression and death. The revolution sparked a civil war, after which the Bolsheviks consolidated control over much of the former Russian Empire. These territories were united in 1922 to form the Soviet Union. Lenin died two years later, in 1924. The mausoleum's red granite and black labradorite structure was constructed between 1929 and 1930. Lenin's body has remained on public display since shortly after his death. According to a 2024 poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), one-third of respondents support keeping Lenin in the mausoleum. Thirty percent favor immediate burial, while 27% believe reburial should occur only if it would not cause controversy. Debate over Lenin's interment resurfaces periodically. While some public figures have called for burial and alternative uses of the site, officials have consistently stated there are no current plans to rebury him. In 2021, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had no intention of relocating Lenin's remains, citing other national priorities.
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Oman participates in Arab-Chinese Experts Meeting on Libraries and Information in China
Nanjing: The Sultanate of Oman is taking part in the sixth session of the Arab-Chinese Experts Meeting on Libraries and Information, held in Nanjing, China, from during 26-30 May 2025 under the theme: "Trends in National and Central Libraries in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." The meeting falls within the executive program of the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum for 2024–2026, under the patronage of the General Secretariat of the Arab League and the National Library of China, and is hosted by the Propaganda and United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China's Jiangbei New District Committee, with the participation of the Jiangbei Library. Oman's delegation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth participated in the third session of the meeting, which discussed 'Cooperation and Partnerships: Building Collaborative Networks, Exchanging Expertise, and Developing Skills and Competencies in AI for Arab and Chinese Libraries." The participation aimed to strengthen strategic partnerships in the field of libraries and information, exchange expertise in utilising AI technologies, and support joint knowledge development efforts between Arab countries and China. This contributes to effective integration and communication between cultural and library institutions. Additionally, the meeting sought to establish platforms for professional exchange and cooperation between Arab and Chinese libraries, encouraging joint initiatives that enhance competencies and foster a culture of innovation in the library sector based on trust and mutual benefit. The event saw broad attendance, with 21 representatives from 10 Arab League member states alongside delegates from 17 Chinese libraries, reflecting shared interest in strengthening cooperation to address the challenges and opportunities posed by the digital revolution in the library sector.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Saudi ministry launches cultural policy challenge
RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture has launched the Cultural Innovation Challenge, an interactive event designed to engage the broader cultural community in policy decisions. The hackathon is designed to enhance the development of the cultural sector and will involve both experts and enthusiasts from home and abroad pitching their best ideas. The challenge is open to innovators, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, public policy professionals, university students, government employees and members of the public. Under the patronage of Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the ministry has allocated more than SR500,000 ($133,000) in prizes for the winners. Anyone interested in taking part can do so, until mid-June, via the link:
