3,000-Year-Old Mayan Complex Uncovered in Guatemala

The remains of an ancient Mayan complex spread across three cities were uncovered in northern Guatemala. Experts have identified sanctuaries, a pyramid, and a unique canal system that suggest that these communities were more interconnected than was previously thought.

The complex was discovered across three sites Los Abuelos, Petnal, and Cambrayal by a joint Guatemalan and Slovak team as part of the Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project (PARU).

One city, dubbed Los Abuelos (the Grandparents) after a pair of sculptures found at the site, dates back to the Middle Preclassic period (800–500 BCE). At six square miles, the roughly 3,000-year-old site is thought to be “one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centers” in the area.

“The site presents remarkable architectural planning”, the Guatemalan culture ministry said in a statement on Thursday, “sculpted with unique iconography from the region.”

Two sculptures depicting an ancestral couple date back to between 500 and 300 BCE. These objects, along with sanctuaries that were also newly discovered, “could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship,” the culture minister said.

Additionally, at Petnal, just east of Los Abuelos, experts uncovered a 108-foot-tall pyramid containing two rooms at its peak. The rooms were adorned with murals from the Preclassic period.

A canal system was also found inside a palace at Cambrayal, approximately three miles from Los Abuelos.

A video released by officials shows efforts at the sites and recovered artifacts in greater detail.

The complex is located in the jungle, not far from the Mexican border, roughly 13 miles outside of Uaxactun, one of the country’s most notable archaeological sites in northern Petén.

Together, these sites indicate connections among “a previously unknown urban triangle” that can help them to better understand pre-Hispanic Petén’s sociopolitical and religious landscape.

Developments in nearby Tikal, including the most recent discovery of an altar, speak to the vastness of the Maya civilization.

Advancements in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a form of laser technology, have helped researchers locate sites such as these amid dense forests.