Latest news with #Uaxactun
BBC News
a day ago
- Science
- BBC News
Los Abuelos: Experts discover 3,000-year-old lost Mayan city
Archaeologists say they have unearthed the remains of a 3,000-year-old Mayan city in the south American country of "Los Abuelos," which translates from Spanish as "The Grandparents," researchers say it once stood around 13 miles from the important archaeological site of Uaxactun, in the north of the Mayan civilization began around 2000 BC, in what is present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and say Los Abuelos, which contains pyramids and monuments, point to its significance as an important ceremonial site. What did experts find? The new site is dated to what is known as the "Middle Preclassic" period, which took place from about 800 to 500 covers an area of around six square miles, and was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously little-explored areas of the Uaxactun to Guatemala's government, Los Abuelos is believed to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of the Mayan civilization in the jungle area of Peten near the Mexican a statement, it added that the site's pyramids and monuments are "sculpted with unique iconography from the region."Nearby, experts found a 33-metre high pyramid ( longer than a swimming pool) with murals from the Preclassic period and also "a unique canal system," according to the statement. Los Abuelos takes its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" which were found at the site. Who were the Mayans? The Maya first developed their civilisation in around 2000 lived in a place called Mesoamerica, an area of land made up of Mexico and part of Central are known for amazing creations including the spectacular buildings they built, their art, folklore, legends and also invented ground-breaking ideas which have helped shape the way we live our lives today. For example, it's thought that the Maya invented the idea of 'zero'.In around 1600 AD the Maya were conquered and destroyed by the Spanish the Maya civilisation, Britain went through the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, including Stonehenge, to Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Tudor England.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Remains of Mayan city nearly 3,000 years old unearthed in Guatemala
Deep in the Guatemalan jungle lies the remains of an ancient city forgotten about for nearly 3,000 years, experts reveal. Covering an area of six square miles (16 sq km), the city, dubbed 'Los Abuelos', may date as far back as 800 BC. Experts at the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture say it was inhabited by the Maya, the ancient civilization of indigenous people in Central America. The presence of pyramids and monuments suggest it was an important Mayan ceremonial site where brutal human sacrifices may have taken place. 'The site presents remarkable architectural planning' with pyramids and monuments 'sculpted with unique iconography from the region', said the ministry. Originating around 2600 BC, the Maya civilization thrived in Central and South America for nearly 3,000 years, reaching its height between AD 250 to 900. The civilization occupied present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. But by 1000 AD, the civilization had mysteriously collapsed – possibly due to a devastating drought that created an agricultural crisis. This lost city of Los Abuelos is in the Maya Biosphere nature reserve (Reserva de Biosfera Maya), about 13 miles from Uaxactun, Guatemala. It was found by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously under-explored areas of the jungle habitat, home to a large number of animal and plant species. Authorities have already dated it to an estimated period from about 800 to 500 BC – what is known as the 'Middle Preclassic' period in Maya history. To put this into context, 800 BC was the time when people in Britain learned how to use iron for tools, several centuries before the Romans arrived. Los Abuelos (Spanish for 'The Grandparents') takes its name from two mysterious human-like sculptures described as an 'ancestral couple' found at the site. The figures, dated to between 500 and 300 BCE, 'could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship,' said the ministry. It's well known the Maya would dance, sing and sometimes make offerings of blood to their several gods to demonstrate their respect and loyalty. But it's as yet unclear what these structures represented and how exactly they may have played a part in such events. Maya people even engaged in the brutal act of human sacrifice because they though blood was a potent source of nourishment for their gods – and that they'd get rain and fertile fields in return. Sadly, some of the humans caught up in such bizarre rituals were the very young , according to skeletal remains at a famous Maya pyramid. The Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists also managed to find a pyramid 108 feet (33 metres) high with murals from the Preclassic period and 'a unique canal system'. We already know the Mayans developed sophisticated techniques to harness natural water sources, adapting to seasonal rainfall patterns and creating complex irrigation systems. Noted for the only fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, the Mayas also had advanced art and architecture as well as mathematical and astronomical systems. Mysteriously in the 8th and 9th century AD, a large chunk of the Mayan civilization collapsed, leading to their eventual downfall around 1000 AD. While the reason for this has been hotly debated, drought and climate change are among the most widely-spouted theories. An increase in the elite Maya's preference for corn may have made the population more vulnerable to drought, contributing to its societal collapse, one theory goes. Experts at the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture say the new findings 'allow us to rethink the understanding of the ceremonial and socio-political organization' of the region in the pre-Hispanic period – the time prior to Spanish conquests in the 16th century. It follows the discovery of a Mayan city in Mexico that once featured an urban landscape of more than 6,500 structures. Using a laser method, researchers from the US uncovered a 21-square-mile metropolis with iconic stone pyramids, houses and other infrastructure that have been concealed for more than 3,000 years. Scientists also recently discovered a 1,000-year-old altar from Mexico's ancient Teotihuacan culture at nearby Tikal, about 14 miles (23km) south of Uaxactun. The find was interpreted as proof of ties between the two pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived about 800 miles (1,300 km) apart. Tikal is the main archaeological site in Guatemala and one of its biggest tourist attractions.
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Newly discovered ancient city sheds light on Mayan civilisation
Archaeologists in Guatemala have discovered the ruins of a 3,000-year-old Mayan city, named "Los Abuelos", featuring pyramids and monuments. The city, located 21km from Uaxactun, is believed to be one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres of the Maya civilisation, showcasing remarkable architectural planning. Monuments at the site date back to 800-500 BC and feature unique iconography, with some figures potentially linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship from 500-300 BC. Nearby archaeological sites, Petnal and Cambrayal, feature a 33m-high pyramid with pre-classical Maya murals and a unique canal system with advanced hydraulic infrastructure, respectively. The discoveries, excavated as part of Guatemala's Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project, reveal a previously unknown urban triangle.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Nearly 3,000 year-old Maya city unearthed. Why it's named \
Nearly 3,000 year-old Maya city unearthed. Why it's named "The Grandparents" Show Caption Hide Caption Tourist climbs sacred Mayan pyramid in Mexico A German tourist was escorted from an archaeological complex when he climbed and attempted to evade security at a Mayan pyramid in Mexico. An international team of archaeologists announced the discovery of a nearly 3,000-year-old ancient Maya city in a northeastern area of Guatemala known for its tropical forests and ruins. The site "Los Abuelos," Spanish for 'The Grandparents," was a ritual center for the entire region, the country's culture ministry said in a statement on Thursday, May 29, and home to one of the oldest and most prominent Maya shrines yet discovered. It takes its name from the discovery of two human-like sculptures found at the site, called an "ancestral couple" by researchers. The city, along with two other nearby sites of Petnal and Cambrayal, constitute an urban triangle researchers say are key discoveries in "the study of the origins of Maya society" in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, which borders Mexico and Belize. "The discovery of the city called Los Abuelos stands out for its ancient characteristics and its exceptional features of historical value, which contribute significantly to the understanding of the Mayan civilization," the ministry said in the statement. The Maya civilization lived in modern day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras, with origins dating back 4,000 years, around 2,000 B.C, with the heart of its empire based in Guatemala's tropical lowlands. Northern Guatemala's Petén Province, where the ruins were found, is a large forest region with thousands of architectural and artistic remains of the Maya civilization. They date from the Preclassic Period of 600 B.C. to the decline and eventual collapse of the empire's urban centers around 900 A.D., according to UNESCO. More: Lasers reveal Mayan civilization of 'unimaginable scale' More archaeological news: Iron Age find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archaeologists found Los Abuelos was occupied as early as 800 B.C., Guatemala's culture ministry said, making the city more than 2,800 years old. In a palace in the nearby settlement of Cambrayal, archaeologists found what they call a sophisticated system of canals, the statement said, and in the other site of Petnal, they found a 108-foot pyramid with murals. The excavation was funded in part by the Comenius University of Bratislava, Slovakia, under the direction of Dr. Milan Kovác, and aided by an international consortium of researchers and supporters. The discoveries are part of the wider Uaxactún Archaeological Project, a 17-year effort to expand archaeological research across a 460 square-mile area surrounding the original Uaxactun archaeological site. The ancient city of Los Abuelos is roughly 13 miles northeast of Uaxactún. Uaxactun is one of the earliest Maya archaeological sites in the Maya lowlands, according to the World Monuments Fund, becoming a foundation for modern Mesoamerican studies when formal research into the site began in 1924. It lies within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Tikal National Park, though it does not get nearly as many visitors as the nearby Tikal site. It was included on the 2014 World Monuments Watch, a list curated by the non-profit organization to highlight monuments facing urgent challenges and timely preservation opportunities. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
CBS News
5 days 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.
