Archaeologists from the United States and Mexico have uncovered more than 6,600 structures built by the pre-Columbian Mayan civilization on the Yucatán Peninsula, with these sites currently buried beneath the earth.
The team, led by American archaeologist Luke Auld-Thomas from North Carolina University, made the discovery near the city of Campeche in southeastern Mexico. The total of 6,674 structures was identified using advanced technologies, primarily through laser radar scanning, which allowed researchers to determine the size and shape of the buildings.
Among the identified structures are residential buildings and stone pyramids, similar in size and form to those found at Chichen Itza and Tikal. During their research in previously unexplored areas, the team also discovered an unknown city of the Mayan civilization. Auld-Thomas described this city as having only one road and pyramids, indicating that its inhabitants engaged in intensive agriculture over the years.
The research area is located on the southeastern outskirts of Campeche, where initial archaeological investigations were conducted as early as 2013. The current research team at NAU is supported by archaeologists from Tulane University, the University of Houston, and the National Mexican Institute of Archaeology.
The Mayan civilization thrived from approximately 400 BCE until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.