In the Mexican rainforest, archaeologists have discovered the remains of a large city belonging to the Maya civilization. Ocomtún was a center of Mayan culture, spanning over 50 hectares and featuring several monumental buildings. While the Maya are known for their calendar, which was recently deciphered by researchers at Tulane University, they are primarily recognized for their dominance over large parts of Central America for around 2,000 years. Despite the discovery of several Mayan cities and monumental structures in the rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala, archaeologists have yet to uncover all of them. However, researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have now discovered another hidden Mayan city in the Mexican rainforest.
The researchers found evidence of the city, which they named Ocomtún (meaning “stone pillars”), on aerial images of the Balamkú nature reserve in the state of Campeche. They then conducted a detailed survey of the area using LIDAR technology and went on an expedition to the rainforest, where they discovered the remains of a larger Mayan city. The most surprising aspect of the discovery was the city’s location on a plateau surrounded by extensive wetlands. The monumental core of the city alone spans over 50 hectares and includes numerous large buildings, including several pyramids over 15 meters high.
The city’s origins date back to around 250 to 1000 AD, with evidence of continued settlement until 1000 AD. However, the archaeologists note changes that occurred between 800 and 1000 AD, including the incorporation of stones and intricately designed blocks from neighboring buildings into some of the sanctuaries in the courtyards and squares. The researchers believe that Ocomtún was an important regional center during the classic Mayan period, reflecting the ideological and social changes of a time of crisis that led to the collapse of the complex socio-political organization of the Maya in the central lowlands in the tenth century.
