Even in an age when satellites have seemingly mapped and photographed every inch of our planet, lost civilizations are still hiding. And in this case, Indiana Jones would be proud of the old school effort it took to reach the location of a newly-discover Maya city. 

For thousands of years, the Maya civilization exerted its influence over Mesoamerica—so much so that, to this day, lost Maya cities keep turning up in unexpected places. And the latest such discovery might be among the most well-preserved sites yet.

In a recent statement, Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reported the discovery of a lost Maya city hidden deep within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in southern Mexico. Archaeologists behind the findings named the place “Minanbé,” which means “there is no path” in Yucatec Maya. Indeed, the team had to hack through thick vegetation to reach the site, and its remoteness kept it surprisingly intact and safe from looters.

Scientists had to clear up roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) worth of thick jungle growth, then walk up another 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to reach the site itself.

A hidden jungle city

The intense hike revealed a 37-acre settlement consisting of an urban center, different kinds of buildings, terraces, hydraulic channels, and more. Of particular interest was a pyramidal temple about nearly 43 feet (13 meters) tall, built in the Río Bec style of the Classic Maya era between 600 and 900 CE. The team found 14 stelae and altars at the site.

As for the age of the discovery, hieroglyphic texts contain engravings pointing to a period in the late 7th century, which would make the artifact among the oldest known in the area. Overall, the findings suggest that the city was part of a complex hierarchy of trade and agriculture during the Late Classic Period of the Maya civilization.

All this goes to show that there are still a lot of hidden mysteries still to be discovered.