Official sources report that archaeologists recently discovered an ancient Maya city hidden within dense vegetation in the southern Mexican state of Campeche, housing various pyramidal structures and large buildings.
The newly found archaeological site has been named Ocomtún, meaning “stone column” in Maya, a name inspired by the many cylindrical columns scattered throughout the old settlement, according to a report from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
The city’s location was pinpointed by analyzing aerial images that suggested possible Maya archaeological remains.
Earlier this year, the National Center of Airborne Laser Mapping at the University of Houston, USA, conducted an airborne laser scan of the area.
The resulting images proved invaluable to the project, in which Slovenian archaeologist Ivan Ṡprajc participated.
Ṡprajc stated that the most unexpected find was a site on a “peninsula” of elevated land surrounded by extensive wetlands.
Its monumental core covers over 50 hectares and includes numerous large structures, with several pyramid-shaped ones exceeding 15 meters in height.
He added that Ocomtún likely served as a significant regional center during the Classic period (250-1000 A.D.), with the many cylindrical columns possibly forming part of the entrances to the upper rooms of the buildings.
Among other notable features, Ocomtún’s southeast core consists of three plazas dominated by imposing buildings enclosed by several patio groups.
Additionally, a causeway connects the southeast complex with the northwest part, which houses the site’s most voluminous construction – a rectangular acropolis.
The Maya civilization is regarded as one of the most brilliant and complex ancient societies in the Americas, with Maya lands covering an area of approximately 325,000 square kilometers, encompassing the entirety of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and significant parts of the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, as per the INAH.