A group of researchers has discovered an untouched Mayan city hidden in the Mexican jungle for over a millennium. The team, consisting of explorers from Slovenia and Mexico, made this extraordinary find while conducting studies in the Calakmul Nature Reserve in Mexico. During their expedition through the Campeche state jungle, they uncovered the city, now known as Minanbe, concealed beneath thick vegetation.
Initial evaluations of the city, spreading across 13 hectares, suggest it was constructed between 600 and 900 AD. The expedition was led by archaeologist Ivan Sprajc, affiliated with the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences. The exploration was a result of analyzing LiDAR images by archaeologists Atasta Flores Esquivel, Vitan Vujanović, Israel Chato López, and Quintín Hernández Gómez, indicating potential hidden structures beneath the dense jungle canopy.
The city, encompassing 13 hectares, comprises various structures, including a 13-meter tall pyramid in the Rio Bec style and a relief depicting water features and a beheading. Vujanović mentioned it was the first time he had encountered a relatively well-preserved temple and a stele bearing glyphs. This discovery marked the culmination of a project focusing on investigating the Central Maya Lowlands, supported by the Archaeology Council of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
To access challenging areas within the forest, the researchers heavily relied on machetes to navigate through dense vegetation and utilized quad bikes for exploration. Sprajc noted the absence of clear paths indicated the importance of the find. The site, named Minanbe, reflects Maya tradition in archaeology, named after the circumstances of its discovery.
Sprajc suggested that Minanbe aligns with observed patterns in other regional discoveries, showcasing an agriculturally-based power structure. However, uncertainties remain about external influences that may have impacted the city’s social dynamics.
