Archaeologist Ivan Šprajc has made an epic discovery. Hidden in Mexico's Balamkú Ecological Conservation Zone, Šprajc and his team have found a long-lost Maya city that nobody even knew existed. This city, which is estimated to date back to 600-800 CE, features pyramid-shaped structures that tower over 15m high and cylindrical columns that give it a unique look.
Šprajc has been exploring the region for nearly three decades, and this is not his first discovery. He previously found other lost cities including Chactún, a previously unknown 40,000-person city dating back to the 8th Century. And, get this: he located two more cities – Lagunita and Tamchén – that each featured pyramid temples, plazas, and intricately carved stele that seemed to have been mysteriously abandoned around 1,200 years ago. The rediscovery of Ocomtún is particularly significant because it's the last major black hole on the archaeological map of the central Maya Lowlands. The Maya civilization spanned much of Central America during their peak between 200-900 CE, and they were best known for their towering pyramid temples, grand cities carved out of stone, and celestial observations. They were also brilliant mathematicians and prolific scribes who kept detailed records of eclipses and solstices.
By around 1,000 CE, almost every settlement in the central and southern Yucatán Peninsula – including Ocomtún – was abandoned. Why? Well, that's still a mystery. Nevertheless, Šprajc's discovery could provide vital clues about what caused such a sudden and massive depopulation event. This find is architecturally significant, and it's believed to have served as a politically important center. Dr M Kathryn Brown, a renowned Maya scholar, believes that Šprajc's research will shed light on important questions related to the rise and fall of the ancient Maya, as well as their daily life.
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In the end, Šprajc's discovery is a testament to the idea that with a little bit of madness and a lot of hard work, we can unlock and uncover secrets from our past. Who knows what else might be discovered in the future? Stay tuned for more exciting archaeological finds!
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