The depths of the Mexican jungle hide many secrets, and only modern technology allows us to uncover them. Recently, a team of archaeologists discovered a long-lost Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula. The city, named Ocomtun, meaning “stone column,” is an enormous architectural marvel that has not previously been reflected in the historical record.
Explorers walked about 60 kilometers through the dense jungle to reach this lost city. They found plazas, large pyramid-style buildings, stone columns and other structures arranged in concentric rings. The stone columns, which now serve as entrances to the upper rooms, may have had a different function in ancient times. Also found on the site was a ball court, which may have been used both for recreation and for religious purposes.
Most surprising, however, is the site on which Okomtun is located. It is an elevated peninsula surrounded by vast wetlands. The monumental core of the city covers more than 50 hectares and includes various large buildings, including pyramidal structures more than 15 meters high. This testifies to the importance of the site during the classical era of the Maya civilization.
The city of Okomtun was an active local center between 250 and 1000 AD. The analysis of fragments of ceramic pots found at the site will help researchers learn more about the time of the settlement of this region.
The Mayan civilization was one of the most important in Mesoamerican history. The Mayans were famous for their achievements in architecture, culture, calendar systems, mathematics, and more. However, in the 9th century A.D. they faced serious collapse caused by civil war, drought and other environmental factors. The last Mayan city did not fall to the Spanish invaders until the 17th century.
Modern technology such as LIDAR is helping us discover more and more settlements left behind by the Maya. These systems allow us to see buildings hidden beneath the dense jungle. However, archaeologists are also working on the ground to find artifacts that reveal more about the life of this ancient civilization. These fragments help establish the dates of settlement of the regions and contribute to our understanding of Mayan history.
The city of Ocomtun is just one of the many lost cities and artifacts still waiting to be discovered in the depths of the Mexican jungle. Each new discovery brings us closer to understanding this mysterious civilization and its contribution to world history.
