Archaeologists utilizing drones and Google Earth imagery have uncovered 4,000-year-old canals in Belize, constructed by the ancestors of the ancient Mayans for freshwater fish capture. This discovery, made public on November 24, 2024, reveals significant insights into early Mesoamerican societies.
The canals, built around 2000 BCE, were operational until approximately 200 CE, demonstrating advanced engineering techniques of the time. Eleanor Harrison-Buck, a co-author of the study from the University of New Hampshire, emphasized the importance of aerial imagery in identifying the distinctive zigzag pattern of these canals.
According to the research published in Science Advances, this site represents the earliest known large-scale Archaic fish-trapping facility in ancient Mesoamerica. The study suggests that the construction of these canals may have been a response to climate disturbances recorded between 2200 and 1900 BCE.
Nearby discoveries of barbed spearpoints indicate that these tools were likely employed to spear fish, with the spearpoints tied to sticks along the canal's length. Claire Ebert, an archaeologist from the University of Pittsburgh, noted the significance of such large-scale landscape modifications by semi-nomadic peoples, highlighting their early capabilities in construction.
While the Mayan civilization is extensively documented through its ruins, such as Chichen Itza, this finding sheds light on the precursors to the Mayans and their innovative practices.