Archaeologists in search of an ancient "City of the Monkey God" recently uncovered a lost city, perhaps even an entire lost civilization, in the rainforests of Honduras.
The city is so far removed from modern civilization that it has never been explored before. However, after studying rumors and stories about a fabled "White City," also known as the "City of the Monkey God," archaeologists started searching for signs of it.
The archaeologists used Light Detection and Ranging, or Lidar, to survey and map the area. This laser light technique allows mapping of areas covered in dense foliage, such as rainforests, and offers insight into what might exist amidst those forests. The mapping suggested unnatural features of the area, including buildings, earthworks, mounds and canals, suggesting the presence of an ancient city. The Lidar mapping even showed areas around a river that saw reshaping by human hands, an obvious sign of settlement.
When archaeologists reached the site, they found it in nearly pristine condition, making it an "incredibly rare" find. At the foot of the city, they found objects possibly associated with a ritual, such as stone seats and vessels with animals carved on them. The city itself contained plazas, an earthen pyramid and more than 50 sculptures, many carved with depictions of snakes and vultures.
Because of the condition of the find, archaeologists refuse to reveal the location of the lost city to leave everything undisturbed by looters.
"This is clearly the most undisturbed rain forest in Central America," says Mark Plotkin, ethnobotanist. "The importance of this place can't be overestimated."
After exploring the lost city, archaeologists now believe that this city isn't the "City of the Monkey God" they were looking for, but one of many cities in the area, perhaps just one city in an entire lost civilization.
Unfortunately, it isn't looters that may claim the area. Deforestation caused by ranching nearby is slowly claiming land around the region with massive areas of rainforest being illegally cut and burned down for cattle grazing. This part of Honduras is one of the top producers of beef for the world, particularly for the U.S.
"If we don't do something right away, most of this forest and valley will be gone in eight years," says Virgilio Paredes Trapero, the director of the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History. "The Honduran government is committed to protecting this area, but doesn't have the money. We urgently need international support."
