- MEGHAN GRADY
- Jan 4, 2023
- 2 min read
Missing Mayan Towns –
Another thing I found interesting was the condition of the many Mayan towns, cities and ruins that have been lost over the years. The fact that no one seems to know the cause or reason for this is a huge concern and something that was quite saddening to me. There is a missing Mayan town that crumbled inside a volcano crater which has been examined by a group of archaeologists conducted by the head of the Yucatan Peninsula Office at the National Institute of Anthropology, Helena Barba Meinecke. Their goal was to raise awareness of the city’s importance to the Indigenous groups within the area or division and support its conservation. Throughout the course or duration of 400 BC to AD 250 there was a flourishing Mayan city made up of temples, homes, and squares in the center of the volcanic Lake Atitlán. The Atitlán, located in the highlands of Guatemala rests inside of a volcano more than 5,000 feet over sea level. An extremely unfortunate and unsuccessful event which experts are convinced was brought on by some kind of volcanic activity triggered the city to cave in from below, driving the Mayans to escape. The city descended into the depths of the Atitlán and now lies 39 and 65 feet beneath its exterior, as stated by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology. To get to the sunken city, archaeologists performed dives within the area. Throughout the course or duration of the dives, archaeologists revealed the remnants of structures, pillars, ceremonial stones, and additional buildings. From these discoveries, they were able to create a planimetric map of the city. Barba Meinecke stated that with this planimetry they are able to speak of a site which measures at least 200 by 300 meters. Archaeologists also collected silt samples from the lake in order to evaluate the dynamics of the site and calculate its deterioration over time. The investigation also placed preliminary or basic work for a cultural center which will let individuals tour the site virtually. There are also two other missing cities resting beneath the exterior of the lake called Samabaj and Chiutinamit.Samabaj was the earliest underwater Mayan ruin excavated in Guatemala in Lake Atitlán. It was found in the late 1990s by a scuba diver who had been investigating the depths of the lake, according to a Reuters report from 2009. The Maya civilization was an Indigenous group extending over what is now Mexico and Central America. The earliest settlements in the Maya civilization were established throughout the course or duration of the Preclassic era. The civilization prospered over 3,000 years up until it mysteriously vanished. Near the finish of the ninth century, cities were slowly deserted one at a time. To this day, experts remain uncertain as to what occurred but there are various speculations. One is that continuing warfare between cities generated a subsidence, while others are convinced that the civilization could no longer advance in the encompassing territory.
Attached below is the article as well as photos I have incorporated...
Tags and Categories: Archaeologists, Chiutinamit, Guatemala, Lake Atitlan, Missing Mayan Towns, National Institute of Anthropology, Samabaj, Sunken Cities, Underwater Ruins, Volcano Crater, Yucatan Peninsula Office, Mexico and Central America
