SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Phys.org reports that a lidar survey of northern Guatemala’s Mirador-Calakmul Karst Basin has revealed more than 1,000 densely populated Maya settlements covering some 650 square miles. Richard D. Hansen of the Idaho State University and his colleagues also determined that these settlements were linked by about 110 miles of raised causeways, which would have allowed the communities to engage in collective labor efforts. Some of the settlements also had large platforms and pyramids that may have served as hubs for work, recreation, and politics; ball courts for playing sports; and canals and reservoirs for water management. To read about the discovery of a Maya ceremonial pyramid and courtyard complex using lidar, go to "New Neighbors."
