The laser scan aerial image of the newly discovered Mayan settlement of Ocomtún. Experts also recognize structures and a field for the traditional Mayan ball game “Juego de Pelota”.
picture-alliance / Reportdienste
INAH | Ivan Sprajc
In the Mexican rainforest, researchers have discovered a Mayan settlement with pyramids and numerous cylindrical columns. The site called Ocomtún (Stone Pillar) in the south of the Yucatán Peninsula may have been an important regional center at least 1,200 years ago, according to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). The ceramic types most commonly found there date from the years 600 to 800 AD. The items found are still being examined.
Exploration for identification using laser scanning from the air
During an exploratory tour, the research team led by the Slovenian expert Ivan Ṡprajc searched an area in the eco-reserve of Balamkú in the state of Campeche for remains of the ruined city, as the institute announced on June 20th. The area had previously been identified using laser scanning (LiDAR) by scientists at the University of Houston. Balamkú is located near the large Mayan site of Calakmul.
Rectangular acropolis and 25 meter high pyramid
According to Ṡprajc, the biggest surprise for the team was the discovery of a town center with large buildings, including several 15-meter-high pyramids. The area is located on a kind of high-altitude peninsula between wetlands and extends over more than 50 hectares. The largest building at the site was found to be a rectangular acropolis with a side length of 80 meters and a height of around 10 meters – including a 25 meter high pyramid.
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