Lost City of the Maya

In 2015, a construction crew was digging near Mérida, a city on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Suddenly, their tools hit something hard in the ground. As the workers continued to dig, they began uncovering massive stone slabs. 

The local archaeologists who came to investigate couldn’t believe what the workers had found: a Maya settlement at least 1,100 years old!

In 2015, a construction crew was digging near Mérida, a city on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Suddenly, their tools hit something hard in the ground. The workers continued to dig. They began uncovering massive stone slabs.

The local archaeologists came to investigate. They could not believe what the workers had found: a Maya settlement at least 1,100 years old!

The Maya were an ancient civilization that originated around 2000 B.C. in what is now Mexico and Central America. They built a thriving empire and had many achievements in math, science, and writing. But Spanish armies conquered the Maya, starting in the early 1500s. Modern researchers have been left to piece together information about the civilization from the remains of its cities.

The newly discovered ruins—called Xiol (zuh-EYE-ul)—are spread across more than 50 acres. So far, archaeologists have found palaces, smaller homes, and workshops. They’ve also uncovered a pyramid-like structure and a well that could have been a water source. 

Experts say as many as 4,000 Maya may have lived in Xiol, including nobility and everyday citizens. 

“There were people . . . who lived in these great palaces, and there were also the common people who lived in small buildings,” archaeologist Carlos Peraza Lope told reporters. 

The Maya were an ancient civilization. It arose around 2000 B.C. in what is now Mexico and Central America. The Maya built a thriving empire. They had many achievements in math, science, and writing. But Spanish armies conquered the Maya, starting in the early 1500s. Modern researchers have been left to piece together information about the civilization from the remains of its cities.

The newly discovered ruins are called Xiol (zuh-EYE-ul). They are spread across more than 50 acres. So far, archaeologists have found palaces, smaller homes, and workshops. They have also uncovered a pyramid-like structure and a well. The well could have been a water source.

Experts say that as many as 4,000 Maya may have lived in Xiol. That includes nobility and everyday citizens.

“There were people . . . who lived in these great palaces, and there were also the common people who lived in small buildings,” archaeologist Carlos Peraza Lope told reporters.

Among their accomplishments, the Maya created an advanced form of writing. They also invented a system of numbers that was one of the first to use symbols to represent zero.

What’s more, the Maya tracked planets, the moon, and the sun before telescopes were invented. They used this information to create a calendar based on Earth’s orbit around the sun, long before Europeans did. 

The Maya were also skilled farmers. They grew everything from corn to avocados, despite living on hilly, swampy land.

Among their accomplishments, the Maya created an advanced form of writing. They also invented a system of numbers. It was one of the first to use a symbol to represent zero.

The Maya also tracked planets, the moon, and the sun before telescopes were invented. They used this information to create a calendar based on Earth’s orbit around the sun, long before Europeans did.

The Maya were skilled farmers too. They lived on hilly, swampy land. But they grew everything from corn to avocados. 

As their empire grew, the Maya founded several cities, including Chichén Itzá in Mexico and Tikal in Guatemala. They paid close attention to compass directions when planning their communities (see "Understanding Directions and Distance," below). A number of Maya pyramids and ceremonial buildings face certain directions to align with the sun and stars. Some Maya kings even built their palaces to the north of other buildings because they believed that direction represented power.

To connect their growing cities, the Maya designed networks of roadways, which they traveled by foot. Experts have even found a system of Maya “highways” in Guatemala that stretched more than 150 miles!

But by the mid-1500s, the Spanish had conquered most of the empire in search of gold. The last Maya city fell in 1697.

As their empire grew, the Maya founded several cities. These included Chichén Itzá in Mexico and Tikal in Guatemala. The Maya paid close attention to compass directions when planning their communities (see "Understanding Directions and Distance," below). A number of Maya pyramids and ceremonial buildings face certain directions to line up with the sun and stars. Some Maya kings even built their palaces to the north of other buildings. That is because they believed that direction represented power.

To connect their growing cities, the Maya designed networks of roadways. They traveled on them by foot. Experts have even found a system of Maya “highways” in Guatemala. It stretched more than 150 miles!

But by the mid-1500s, the Spanish, in their search for gold, had conquered most of the empire. The last Maya city fell in 1697.

Today, more than 7 million Maya descendants live in Mexico and Central America. Their ancestors continue to fascinate people, and the city of Xiol is the latest reason why.

Many of Xiol’s buildings feature an ornate style of Maya architecture that was common in the southern Yucatán Peninsula but rare in the north, where the city is located. And perhaps even more curious, all of Xiol’s buildings face eastward.

As with every Maya mystery that remains today, scientists hope that—with time—they’ll learn why.

Today, more than 7 million Maya descendants live in Mexico and Central America. Their ancestors continue to fascinate people. And the city of Xiol is the latest reason why.

Many of Xiol’s buildings feature an ornate style of Maya architecture. The style was common in the southern Yucatán Peninsula but rare in the north, where the city is located. Perhaps even more curious, all of Xiol’s buildings face eastward.

As with every remaining Maya mystery, scientists hope that—with time—they will learn why.