A team of scientists from several countries discovered in northern Guatemala a huge Mayan settlement two thousand years old, Ancient Mesoamerica reported.

Scientists used LiDAR technology to explore the area. This detection system is similar in principle to radar, but based on laser radiation, rather than radio waves. The laser allows them to detect objects hidden under the dense vegetation of tropical forests.

LiDAR allowed scientists to discover traces of an ancient civilization that consisted of more than a thousand settlements with a total area of about 1,700 square meters. This discovery refutes theories that early Mesoamerican settlements were sparsely populated. The total length of the trails was up to 180 meters, which allowed people to visit neighboring settlements relatively easily.

Researchers also found evidence of large platforms and pyramids, as well as an area for ritual ball games. This suggests that some settlements had important economic and political significance. Researchers also found that the people of the civilization built canals to move water and reservoirs to store it, which allowed access to water during dry periods.