The Tikal archaeological site in Petén, Guatemala, is one of the most iconic remnants of the ancient Mayan civilization.

Why cenotes matter: Formed by limestone collapse and fed by underground rivers, cenotes were vital to the Maya for water and rituals, and today draw adventurers worldwide. Ancient Mayan legacy: The ...

Mexico is embracing its ancient ballgame, ulama, as it prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This 3,400-year-old sport ...

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the first animals to crawl onto land were strict meat-eaters, even as plants had already taken over the landscape. Now scientists have uncovered a ...

Dramatic droughts linked to the decline of the Classic Maya civilization approximately 800 to 1000 CE may not have required any external trigger, according to a new climate modeling study. Instead, ...

Researchers have confirmed that a large Mayan settlement lies submerged beneath Lake Atitlan, a volcanic lake in the Guatemalan highlands, with plazas, homes, and monuments preserved underwater. That ...

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: A researcher in the Maya Lowlands ...

History, like gossip, is only interesting if you know the players. A series of unfamiliar names, dates and events has little meaning without such knowledge or, at least, an exceptionally wise and ...

In the earliest days of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, it became clear this conflict has strong religious undertones. Whistleblower reports from the military detailed accounts of American commanders ...

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The Four Heavens: A New History of the Ancient Maya David Stuart Princeton Univ. Press (2026) Before the 1970s, ancient Maya history was impenetrable. The civilization’s grand ceremonial buildings and ...