Incredible lost city with 15 meter high pyramids and even an ancient sports field, found in dense jungle after 1000 years
Deep in a dense jungle, an INCREDIBLE lost city has been found after remaining untouched for 1,000 years.
The fascinating discovery led scientists to believe that the ancient Mayan city once had gigantic pyramids 15 meters high and even a sports field covering the vast land.
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The city, called Ocomtún – which translates as 'stone column' in Yucatec Maya – was founded by Mexican authorities last year.
With remains of several massive pyramid-like structures, three squares of “imposing buildings” and many stone columns and other cylindrical structures, the city was once home to thousands.
One pyramid was even thought to be as high as 80 feet, towering over the jungle in which it stood.
Numerous lofty altars were also discovered, but perhaps most interesting was an ancient sport court which researchers believe was actually used for important religious ceremonies.
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The newly found settlement dates back to between 250AD and 1000AD.
Chief archaeologist Ivan Šprajc told it BBC Travels: “These cities were lost to time. No one knew exactly where they were.
“But this (Ocomtún) was actually the last great black hole on the archaeological map of the central Maya lowlands. There was nothing.
“There was no known site in an area of about 3,000 to 4,000 square kilometers.”
It was excavated in the south Mexico in the Campeche region of the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
An area known for its thick and virtually impenetrable vegetation.
The clever team of explorers who found the ancient clearing had to fight their way through the jungle and cross more than 60 kilometers of unreliable land, as there were no roads in sight for miles.
Under Ṡprajc's leadership, the city was finally unveiled in 2023 by the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) where they called it “monumental”.
Mr Ṡprajc said: “The biggest surprise turned out to be the location on a 'peninsula' with high ground, surrounded by extensive wetlands.
“The monumental core covers more than 50 hectares and has several large buildings, including several pyramid-shaped structures more than 15 meters high.
“The site served as an important center at the regional level, probably during the Classic period (AD 250-1000).”
The research team said that some structures are believed to be “markets or spaces intended for community rituals such as the sports field.
But in the end that is 'just' future research will shed light on the functions of these groups, which represent a regional peculiarity”.
Mayans are also given the title of the inventors of the very first ball game – another reason for the large field in the city.
The site likely fell into rapid decline around 800 to 1000 AD, based on analysis of materials such as pottery and ceramics recovered from buildings, Mr Ṡprajc said.
Many Mayan societies collapsed in that region in the 10th century and remained hidden for centuries and even longer.
What happened to the Mayans?
THE Maya dominated many parts of Central America for hundreds of years.
They are widely regarded as the inventors of rubber, the very first ball game, certain medicines, the calendar and even chocolate.
But what made the Mayans stand out is their love of astrology and pyramid-like structures made of stone.
At its height, the Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with a population between 5,000 and 50,000.
Among the most famous cities are Tikal, Uaxactun, Copan, Bonampak, Dos Pilas, Calakmul, Palenhue and Rio Bec.
But mysteriously, the Mayan civilization began to collapse in the 8th and 9th centuries AD and no one really knows why.
Some scientists say an intense century-long drought has ravaged civilizations and caused a steep decline.
The Mayans were known for their agricultural skills and a terrorist drought would have caused major problems.
Dozens of theories have also attempted to explain the Mayan collapse, with some citing epidemic diseases or foreign invasions as potential demise.
Despite this, some cities, such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and Mayapán on the Yucatán Peninsula, survived for years after the Mayan collapse.
After all civilizations seemingly disappeared, researchers spent decades trying to locate them and show the world the beauty they once possessed.
Today, an estimated six to eight million Mayan people live in Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, El Salvador and southern Mexico.
While they still speak 28 Mayan languages.
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