Mayan City Unearthed: Guatemala Pyramids & Canals
Uncover a groundbreaking revelation: archaeologists have unearthed “Los Abuelos,” a 3,000-year-old Mayan city in Guatemala, featuring ancient pyramids, monuments, and a complex canal system, reshaping our understanding of the primary_keyword! This remarkable find reveals the importance of this site as a key ceremonial centre, offering critical insights into the socio-political institution of the Mayan civilization. Located near the uaxactun archaeological site, this newly discovered secondary_keyword dates back to the middle Preclassic period, a crucial hub within the Peten jungle. The city’s unique iconography and ancestral sculptures hint at fascinating rituals. News Directory 3 brings you the latest on this game-changing find. Discover what’s next as researchers prepare to uncover more secrets!
Ancient Mayan City, “Los Abuelos,” Discovered in Guatemala
Updated May 30, 2025
A nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan city, dubbed “Los Abuelos” (“The Grandparents”), has been unearthed in northern Guatemala, according to the country’s culture ministry. The discovery, featuring pyramids and monuments, highlights the site’s significance as a major ceremonial center for the mayan civilization.
The Mayan civilization flourished from around 2000 BC, reaching its peak between 400 and 900 AD across southern Mexico, Guatemala, and parts of Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.The newly discovered Mayan city is located about 13 miles from the Uaxactun archaeological site, in the Peten department.
Dating back to the middle Preclassic period (800 to 500 BC), “Los Abuelos” is believed to have been a crucial ceremonial hub in the Peten jungle region near the Mexican border. The ministry emphasized the city’s “remarkable architectural planning,” including pyramids and monuments adorned with unique regional iconography, offering valuable insights into Mayan culture and society.
The city’s name originates from two human-like sculptures representing an “ancestral couple” found at the site. These figures, dating from 500 to 300 BC, may be linked to ancient ancestor worship rituals, according to the ministry.
The six-square-mile city was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously unexplored areas of Uaxactun park. They also found a 108-foot-high pyramid with Preclassic murals and a distinctive canal system nearby.
“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,” the ministry said.
What’s next
The discovery of “los Abuelos” promises to reshape our understanding of the Mayan civilization’s early urban progress and ceremonial practices in the Peten region. Further research and excavation are planned to uncover more about this meaningful Mayan city and its role in the broader Mesoamerican context.