New research reveals incredible secrets about the Maya civilization

New archaeological discoveries reveal the Maya population may have exceeded 16 million, shedding light on the power and development of this brilliant civilization.

New research led by Tulane University archaeologists reveals that the population of the Maya civilization was much larger than previously thought, with up to 16 million people living across parts of present-day Guatemala, southern Mexico and western Belize. Photo: Francisco Estrada-Belli/Science Direct.

Using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology, the team has produced one of the most comprehensive regional analyses to date of Maya settlement patterns. Photo: Public Domain.

"We now have solid evidence of a highly structured Maya society in both urban and rural areas, and one that was much more advanced in terms of social organization and resources than we previously understood," the research team said. Photo: Ancient origins.

"We expected a slight increase in the Maya population from the 2018 lidar analysis, but the 45% increase is truly surprising," said lead author Francisco Estrada-Belli, professor at the Institute for Central American Studies at Tulane University. "This new data confirms the dense population and social organization of the region known as the Maya Lowlands at its peak." Photo: Arian Zwegers / CC BY 2.0.

The Maya Lowlands are the area that now covers the province of Petén (Guatemala), western Belize, and the Mexican states of Campeche and Quintana Roo. Photo: F. Estrada-Belli et al., Journal of Archaeological Science, Reports (2025).

Using advanced analytical methods and data collected from LiDAR technology, researchers estimate that between 9.5 and 16 million people lived in the area between 600 and 900 AD, spanning an area of 95,000 square kilometers. Photo: vocal.media.

Researchers have identified a unified, homogeneous pattern of urban and rural organization, with residential and agricultural features clustered around elite-controlled public squares. Photo: ancienthistorylists.

Extensive agricultural infrastructure, especially in the populous North, suggests that elites controlled food production and distribution across both urban and rural areas. Photo: ancienthistorylists.

Most of the structures are located within 5 km of large or medium-sized plazas, indicating widespread access to ceremonial centers for the population and challenging previous assumptions about isolated rural settlements. Photo: ancienthistorylists.

Readers are invited to watch the video : Revealing lost civilizations through archaeological remains.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/nghien-cuu-moi-he-lo-bi-mat-kho-tin-ve-nen-van-minh-maya-post2149045352.html