seeder Posted February 2, 2018 #1 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Quote Maya 'megalopolis' featuring thousands of ancient pyramids, palaces and causeways is found hidden under thick jungle foliage in Guatemala More than 60,000 previously unknown Mayan structures have been uncovered in Peten The abundance of defensive walls, ramparts and fortresses suggests that warfare was rife Ground-breaking research used so-called LIDAR technology that utilises light from lasers 'I know it sounds hyperbolic but when I saw the imagery, it did bring tears to my eyes', said one researcher The discovery suggests that Central America supported a civilization that was, at its peak 1,500 years ago, more advanced than ancient Greek and Chinese cultures Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5343567/Thousands-Mayan-pyramids-palaces-Guatemala.html#ixzz55z5yztD1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted February 2, 2018 #2 Share Posted February 2, 2018 More Links Quote ~ Guatemala's Maya Society Featured Huge 'Megalopolis,' LiDAR Data ... https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/maya-laser-lidar-guatemala-pacunam/ 1 day ago - Exclusive: Laser Scans Reveal Maya "Megalopolis" Below Guatemalan Jungle. ... Laser technology known as LiDAR digitally removes the forest canopy to reveal ancient ruins below, showing that Maya cities such as Tikal were much larger than ground-based research had suggested. ~ Hidden Ancient Mayan 'Megalopolis' With 60,000 Structures ... www.newsweek.com/hidden-ancient-mayan-megalopolis-60000-structures-discovered... 12 hours ago - Archaeologists in Guatemala have uncovered an unprecedented network of 60,000 ancient Mayan features such as palaces and elevated highways, according to an exclusive report by National Geographic. The discovery is being called a “megalopolis” and suggests that we've been vastly underestimating ... ~ Laser survey has revealed vast network of hidden Maya structures in ... https://www.sciencealert.com/guatemala-maya-civilisation-lidar-vast-megalopolis-hidd... 21 hours ago - Pyramids peek above the canopy of the Guatemalan jungle in Central America, but the roots of the ruins run a lot deeper than it looks. A LIDAR ("light" and "radar") survey of the area has revealed 60,000 previously unknown structures - suggesting a vast megalopolis that was home to millions more people ... ~ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skliss Posted February 2, 2018 #3 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Awesome! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DieChecker Posted February 3, 2018 #4 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Was just reading about this earlier today. Very Awesome finds. I look forward to hearing more about what they've found. They said there may have been up to 10 million people living there with 95% of the arable land being cultivated. WOW! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unfortunately Posted February 3, 2018 #5 Share Posted February 3, 2018 (edited) Whoever decided to use this LIDAR technology for searching the jungle must be a very intuitive person, I really appreciate the fact they can pinpoint where the find is and in doing so minimise the total amount of damage done to the surrounding forests during excavation. It'll be fascinating to hear of further progress. Edited February 3, 2018 by Unfortunately Typo :) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatetopa Posted February 3, 2018 #6 Share Posted February 3, 2018 I just read a book with a corny title Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston. It is about a city found in Honduras by Lidar. There is an extensive explanation and history of the use of Lidar. I believe NASA and the military had a big hand in it. The cool thing about the technology is that the detector sends out laser pulses many thousands of times per second. (a little arm waving, I don't remember the frequency) In the jungle most are reflected by forest canopy, but enough make it through holes in the leaf cover to see the ground. It has very high resolution, down to meters. A technique well suited to jungle survey. The expedition to Honduras was severely criticized by some archaeologists who excoriated them for being film makers, adventurers, and publicity seekers, and publicists for the Honduran government. They did take one or more archaeologists along on the first expedition and followed up with a team of them on subsequent trips. I read the blog of Prof. Joyce their chief detractor to see the other side of the controversy. The use of Lidar and its accuracy was never in question. Dr. Joyce thinks it is not a substitute for boots on the ground. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted February 3, 2018 #7 Share Posted February 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Tatetopa said: I just read a book with a corny title Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston. It is about a city found in Honduras by Lidar. There is an extensive explanation and history of the use of Lidar. I believe NASA and the military had a big hand in it. The cool thing about the technology is that the detector sends out laser pulses many thousands of times per second. (a little arm waving, I don't remember the frequency) In the jungle most are reflected by forest canopy, but enough make it through holes in the leaf cover to see the ground. It has very high resolution, down to meters. A technique well suited to jungle survey. The expedition to Honduras was severely criticized by some archaeologists who excoriated them for being film makers, adventurers, and publicity seekers, and publicists for the Honduran government. They did take one or more archaeologists along on the first expedition and followed up with a team of them on subsequent trips. I read the blog of Prof. Joyce their chief detractor to see the other side of the controversy. The use of Lidar and its accuracy was never in question. Dr. Joyce thinks it is not a substitute for boots on the ground. No, but it can certainly point to where those boots should go. Before the Great Dying, the New World was as densely populated as much of the old world. A trip to Yucatan before the collapse of it's civilization would have been comparable to a trip to India or Australasia in the same period. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted February 3, 2018 #8 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Now if someone can get that stash of cash together, all those Archeology Graduates got somewhere to go a digging ... ~ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorizBadinov Posted February 5, 2018 #9 Share Posted February 5, 2018 On 2/3/2018 at 11:24 AM, Tatetopa said: I just read a book with a corny title Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston. It is about a city found in Honduras by Lidar. There is an extensive explanation and history of the use of Lidar. I believe NASA and the military had a big hand in it. The cool thing about the technology is that the detector sends out laser pulses many thousands of times per second. (a little arm waving, I don't remember the frequency) In the jungle most are reflected by forest canopy, but enough make it through holes in the leaf cover to see the ground. It has very high resolution, down to meters. A technique well suited to jungle survey. The expedition to Honduras was severely criticized by some archaeologists who excoriated them for being film makers, adventurers, and publicity seekers, and publicists for the Honduran government. They did take one or more archaeologists along on the first expedition and followed up with a team of them on subsequent trips. I read the blog of Prof. Joyce their chief detractor to see the other side of the controversy. The use of Lidar and its accuracy was never in question. Dr. Joyce thinks it is not a substitute for boots on the ground. The military application was recon in heavy cover to find enemy encampments. I think archaeology was more of a happy accident. While its true that the tool doesn't give us fine detail about a structure what is truly amazing about it is the perspective gained from looking at a structure in context with other structures that might not be obvious from ground level. It can help identify possible uses by proximity as well as completely obscured subterranean vaults. I watched a documentary on this becoming a solid facet of archaeology. And like Hammerclaw states knowing where to go is far more than half the battle in looking for evidence. I bet Dr Joyce wouldn't pass up looking at this site. I cant imagine how you could make this controversial, its a tool that does nothing but identify locations. Perhaps that is the fear that her boots will be late to the party. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatetopa Posted February 6, 2018 #10 Share Posted February 6, 2018 It is amazing what will be revealed. The complexity of a large region brings a whole new insight. Lidar may not be the right tool, but it would be nice to see a ground penetrating radar analysis or areas left of the Mississippi river mound cultures. Lidar may be the tool in some areas of the SE United States that are overgrown and difficult to survey. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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