Latest news with #MayanCivilization
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ancient DNA reveals how Mayan civilisation collapsed
Skeletons unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Copán in Honduras have yielded clues to the collapse of the Mayan civilisation. Copán, now a Unesco World Heritage site, thrived during the Classic Maya period between the third and 10th centuries AD. Previous research has shown that it was a major crossroads city for four centuries, connecting the lower Central America to South America. 'In 426 or 427CE, the city witnessed the establishment of a royal dynasty, which endured for about 400 years,' according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology. Excavations at the ruins have so far focused on a royal tomb where rulers were likely buried along with sacrificial victims. But the genetic origins of the people of ancient Copán have been unclear. The new genome study shows where this population most likely came from and reveals the city 'dramatically shrank' around 1,200 years ago. Researchers assessed genomes of seven human remains excavated at the Copán archaeological site, including a person who may have been the ancient city's ruler. The analysis also included DNA data from ancient Mayan sites in North, Central, and South America that have already been published in previous studies. It revealed, for the first time, the origins and dynamics of the ancient city's population during the Classic period, shedding more light on the civilisation's collapse. It found that the ancestral population of the Copan people interacted with northern regions, including those in Mexico and Belize. That the Maya people had connections with those in the central highlands of Mexico had only been theorised in the past. The analysis also pointed to a strong genomic connection of the people of the Copán ruins with modern Maya, including the contemporary populations in the Andes, Brazil, and Argentina. Another key finding from the study is that the population size of the Maya civilisation decreased vastly during the late Classic period. This result corresponds to the period when other Classic Maya cities were also abandoned, researchers said. 'A decline is also observable in the Andes at around the same time. Nevertheless, the population size in the Andes rebounded in later periods, possibly linked to the rise and expansion of the Inca civilisation,' they said. A decline in the population density led to the eventual collapse of the Classic Maya civilisation, they concluded. This was between the 9th and 11th centuries, a period marked by frequent severe droughts that contributed to civil conflict, societal instability, and eventual collapse. 'Estimates of effective population size suggest a decline at the end of the Classic period, when Classic Maya civilisation experienced widespread destabilisation and collapse,' the study noted.
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Los Abuelos: Experts discover 3,000-year-old lost Mayan city
Archaeologists say they have unearthed the remains of a 3,000-year-old Mayan city in the south American country of "Los Abuelos," which translates from Spanish as "The Grandparents," researchers say it once stood around 13 miles from the important archaeological site of Uaxactun, in the north of the Mayan civilization began around 2000 BC, in what is present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and say Los Abuelos, which contains pyramids and monuments, point to its significance as an important ceremonial site. What did experts find? The new site is dated to what is known as the "Middle Preclassic" period, which took place from about 800 to 500 covers an area of around six square miles, and was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously little-explored areas of the Uaxactun to Guatemala's government, Los Abuelos is believed to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of the Mayan civilization in the jungle area of Peten near the Mexican a statement, it added that the site's pyramids and monuments are "sculpted with unique iconography from the region."Nearby, experts found a 33-metre high pyramid ( longer than a swimming pool) with murals from the Preclassic period and also "a unique canal system," according to the statement. Los Abuelos takes its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" which were found at the site. Who were the Mayans? The Maya first developed their civilisation in around 2000 lived in a place called Mesoamerica, an area of land made up of Mexico and part of Central are known for amazing creations including the spectacular buildings they built, their art, folklore, legends and also invented ground-breaking ideas which have helped shape the way we live our lives today. For example, it's thought that the Maya invented the idea of 'zero'.In around 1600 AD the Maya were conquered and destroyed by the Spanish the Maya civilisation, Britain went through the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, including Stonehenge, to Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Tudor England.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Archaeologists discover 3,000-year-old LOST CITY featuring ‘remarkable' pyramids and canals
AN ANCIENT Mayan city has been discovered by archaeologists in northern Guatemala, offering fresh insights into the historic civilisation. The nearly 3,000-year-old remains include remarkable pyramids and monuments that appear to be "sculpted with unique iconography". 6 6 6 6 This ancient city, named Los Abuelos - the Spanish for "The Grandparents" - once stood around 21km from the significant archaeological site of Uaxactún, Guatemala's culture ministry said on Thursday. Los Abuelos gets its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found there. These figures "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship", the ministry added. The city is likely to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of Mayan civilisation. Monuments unearthed at the site have been dated to the Middle Preclassic period of 800-500 BC, while the city itself "presents remarkable architectural planning". The city covers an area of around six square miles and is found in Guatemala's northern Petén department. Researchers also found a 108 foot high pyramid nearby that had Preclassic murals and "a unique canal system". "Archaeological investigations have included the active participation of Guatemalan and international professionals, with the support of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia," a ministry spokesperson said. "This joint effort has allowed significant advancements in the exploration, conservation, and dissemination of the Mayan legacy." Three sites - Los Abuelos, Petnal and Cambraya - were unearthed through the country's ongoing Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project. Rediscovering the Lost Maya City of Ocomtún (1) "These sites form a previously unknown urban triangle," a ministry spokesperson added. "These findings allow us to rethink the understanding of the ceremonial and socio-political organisation of pre-Hispanic Peten." Mayan civilisation rose around 2000 BC and reached its peak between 400 and 900 AD. It spanned across present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, along with some parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The amazing new discovery comes after a 1,000-year-old altar from Mexico's ancient Teotihuacán culture was unearthed in April. It was painted with a mural of red, yellow, and blue - which are colours associated with that culture. This find was seen as suggesting evidence of possible contact between the two cultures. 6 6
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan city unearthed. Why it's named 'The Grandparents'
An international team of archaeologists has announced the discovery of a nearly 3,000-year-old ancient Mayan city in a northeastern region of Guatemala known for its tropical forests and ruins. The site Los Abuelos, Spanish for 'The Grandparents," was a ritual center for the entire region, the country's culture ministry said in a statement May 29, and home to one of the oldest and most prominent Mayan shrines yet discovered. It takes its name from the discovery of two human-like sculptures found at the site, called an "ancestral couple" by researchers. The city, along with two other nearby sites, Petnal and Cambrayal, constitute an urban triangle researchers say are key discoveries in the study of the origins of Mayan society in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, which borders Mexico and Belize. "The discovery of the city called Los Abuelos stands out for its ancient characteristics and its exceptional features of historical value, which contribute significantly to the understanding of the Mayan civilization," the ministry said in the statement. The Mayans lived in modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras, with origins dating back 4,000 years, around 2,000 B.C, with the heart of its empire based in Guatemala's tropical lowlands. Northern Guatemala's Petén Province, where the ruins were found, is a large forest region with thousands of architectural and artistic remains of the Mayan civilization. They date from the Preclassic Period of 600 B.C. to the decline and eventual collapse of the empire's urban centers around 900 A.D., according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. More: Lasers reveal Mayan civilization of 'unimaginable scale' More archaeological news: Iron Age find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archaeologists found Los Abuelos was occupied as early as 800 B.C., Guatemala's culture ministry said, which makes the city more than 2,800 years old. In a palace in the nearby settlement of Cambrayal, archaeologists found what they call a sophisticated system of canals, the statement said, and in Petnal, they found a 108-foot pyramid with murals. The excavation was funded in part by the Comenius University of Bratislava, Slovakia, under the direction of Dr. Milan Kovác, and aided by an international consortium of researchers and supporters. The discoveries are part of the wider Uaxactún Archaeological Project, a 17-year effort to expand archaeological research across a 460-square-mile area surrounding the original Uaxactun archaeological site. Los Abuelos is roughly 13 miles northeast of Uaxactún. Uaxactun is one of the earliest archaeological sites in the Mayan lowlands, according to the World Monuments Fund, and became a foundation for modern Mesoamerican studies when formal research into the site began in 1924. It lies within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Tikal National Park, though it does not get nearly as many visitors as the nearby Tikal site. It was included on the 2014 World Monuments Watch, a list curated by the nonprofit organization to highlight monuments facing urgent challenges and preservation opportunities. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ancient Maya city unearthed in Guatemala
CBS News
30-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Ancient Mayan city unearthed in Guatemala, including pyramids and a "unique canal system"
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Mayan city nearly 3,000 years old in northern Guatemala, with pyramids and monuments that point to its significance as an important ceremonial site, the Central American country's culture ministry said Thursday. The Mayan civilization arose around 2000 BC, reaching its height between 400 and 900 AD in what is present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The city named "Los Abuelos," Spanish for "The Grandparents," once stood some 13 miles from the important archaeological site of Uaxactun, in Guatemala's northern Peten department, the ministry said in a statement. It is dated to what is known as the "Middle Preclassic" period from about 800 to 500 BC, and is believed to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centers" of the Mayan civilization in the jungle area of Peten near the Mexican border, it added. "The site presents remarkable architectural planning," with pyramids and monuments "sculpted with unique iconography from the region," said the ministry. The city takes its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found at the site. A photo released by the Guatemalan government shows two anthropomorphic sculptures that "represent an ancestral couple." Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sports The figures, dated between 500 and 300 BC, "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship," said the ministry. "Unique canal system" The city, which covers an area of about six square miles, was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously little-explored areas of the Uaxactun park. Nearby, they also found a pyramid standing 108 feet high with murals from the Preclassic period and "a unique canal system," according to the statement. "The set of these three sites forms a previously unknown urban triangle... These findings allow us to rethink the understanding of the ceremonial and socio-political organization of pre-Hispanic Peten," said the ministry. Officials released a video showing archaeologists digging at the site and recovering a variety of artifacts, as well as an animation of the complex. Officials released a video showing archaeologists digging at the site and recovering a variety of artifacts, as well as animation of the complex. Guatemala's Culture and Sports Ministry In April, scientists discovered a 1,000-year-old altar from Mexico's ancient Teotihuacan culture at Tikal, elsewhere in the Peten department. That find was interpreted as proof of ties between the two pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived about 800 miles apart. Archaeologists also said that the altar was believed to have been used for sacrifices, "especially of children." Tikal, about 15 miles from Uaxcatun, is the main archaeological site in Guatemala and one of its biggest tourist attractions. Last October, an American doctoral student discovered a sprawling Maya city within a dense jungle in Mexico. Scientists and archaeologists have discovered ancient Mayan ruins by shooting lasers down from a plane to penetrate the dense jungle.
