Lasers revealed 5 ancient civilizations that were hiding in plain sight

[Judi Lynn]

Paola Rosa-Aquino Jan 1, 2023, 10:30 AM



LiDAR captured the ruins of a civilization in the Brazilian Amazon. Ecossistema Dakila

Archeologists beam lasers from the sky to unearth ancient settlements hiding in plain sight.

LiDAR uses laser pulses to penetrate dense vegetation, revealing human-built structures underneath.

State-of-the-art laser technology is transforming archaeology by creating 3D renderings of ruins.

In recent years, archaeologists have turned to lasers in order to unearth ancient civilizations that were previously invisible.

A laser technology known as LiDAR — short for light detection and ranging — uses planes to beam thousands of laser pulses from the sky at the ground below, penetrating through thick, deep forest canopy. That provides researchers with three-dimensional maps underneath the vegetation, revealing human-built structures.

From a Mayan city to complex villages deep in the Brazilian Amazon, here are five previously unknown civilizations that were discovered through state-of-the-art LiDAR technology.

A hidden 2,000-year-old Mayan civilization in northern Guatemala



Researchers found a 2,000-year-old Mayan civilization in northern Guatemala using LiDAR. Hansen et al.

Using laser pulses, researchers detected a 2,000-year-old Mayan civilization in northern Guatemala with nearly 1,000 archaeological sites.

More:
https://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-civilizations-that-were-hiding-in-plain-sight-2023-1

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