Maya Cities Discovered in Guatemala | Solstice Prediction Site
- Archaeologists have unearthed three ancient Maya cities nestled within the Petén jungle of Guatemala.
- The most important site, dubbed "Los Abuelos" (the grandparents), derives its name from two stone sculptures depicting a man and a woman.
- Los Abuelos flourished through the Middle and Late Preclassic periods before being abandoned and later reoccupied during the Late Classic period (A.D.
Unearth the past! archaeologists have uncovered three new Maya cities deep within Guatemala’s Petén jungle, revealing a wealth of historical treasures. These ancient Maya cities, inhabited from roughly 1000 B.C. to A.D. 900, unveil pyramids, altars, remarkable sculptures, and precisely designed astronomical complexes. The Los Abuelos site, named for its ancestral sculptures, potentially served as a ceremonial hub.Petnal’s 108-foot pyramid and Cambrayal’s canal system offer further insights into Maya life. News Directory 3 is following the story as experts analyze the frog-shaped altars and murals. What mysteries will future excavations bring to light? Discover what’s next for these remarkable settlements!
Guatemalan Jungle Reveals Ancient Maya Cities
Updated June 6, 2025
Archaeologists have unearthed three ancient Maya cities nestled within the Petén jungle of Guatemala. The Guatemala Ministry of Culture and Sports announced the finding, noting the cities are spaced approximately 3 miles apart, forming a triangular arrangement. These Maya cities were settled during the Middle Preclassic period, between 1000 and 400 B.C., and were inhabited until around 1,100 years ago, coinciding with the collapse of many Maya centers in the region.
The most important site, dubbed “Los Abuelos” (the grandparents), derives its name from two stone sculptures depicting a man and a woman. These are believed to represent ancestors of the city’s inhabitants. This ancient Maya city may have served as a ceremonial hub.
Los Abuelos flourished through the Middle and Late Preclassic periods before being abandoned and later reoccupied during the Late Classic period (A.D. 600 to 900). The site features an astronomical complex designed to precisely mark solstices and equinoxes. A human burial was also found, accompanied by the remains of two felines, pottery, shells, and arrowheads.
Another city, named “Petnal,” boasts a 108-foot pyramid capped with a room containing mural remnants. Traces of red, white, and black pigments remain, though further examination is needed to decipher the murals’ content. Petnal likely functioned as a political center. Like Los Abuelos, it also contained a frog-shaped altar. Robert Sharer and Very busler noted in “The Ancient Maya: Sixth Edition” that the frog is a symbol of fertility and rebirth in Maya mythology, and such altars were likely used in rituals.
The third city, “Cambrayal,” features a canal system originating from a reservoir atop a palace, possibly used for waste removal.
The stone sculptures found at the site “are especially poignant and are similar to many other examples of Maya people making offerings to vital sculptures and connecting with their ancestors by interacting with sculptures from the past.”
Megan O’Neil, an art history professor at Emory University, commented on the significance of the Los Abuelos find, particularly the stone sculptures. She also emphasized the importance of the intact ceramic vessels discovered, noting that they could “help reconnect items in private and museum collections with their places of origin,” returning memory to the ceramics, sites, and Maya people.
These discoveries,along with other recent finds,were made by a team of archaeologists from Slovakia and Guatemala as part of the Uaxactún Archaeological Project (PARU). Since 2009, PARU has identified 176 sites, excavating only 20.
What’s next
Further research and excavation are planned to fully understand the significance of these ancient Maya cities and their role in the broader context of Maya civilization.