A collaborative effort between researchers and the Indigenous Tz’utujil community revealed on Apr. 14 that an intact Maya settlement has been discovered beneath Lake Atitlán, a volcanic lake in Guatemala’s highlands.
The discovery is significant for both archaeology and local heritage. The submerged ruins, which include platforms, house foundations, and monuments, have been preserved under water at a depth of about 51 feet below the present-day surface. Researchers dated the site to between 350 BC and AD 250.
According to Earth.com, Lake Atitlán sits within a volcanic caldera formed after a major eruption. This unique geography allowed water to cover the ancient settlement without destroying it. A previous mission in 2022 identified approximately 2.2 square miles of potential sites for exploration; divers then located the remains during subsequent surveys.
Researchers emphasized working closely with the Tz’utujil community throughout their study. As part of this partnership, all artifacts recovered were returned to their original location rather than being displayed elsewhere. Additionally, researchers avoided renaming the ruins as part of anticolonial practices and out of respect for local traditions.
Discoveries like this are becoming more common due to extreme weather events around the world; however, there are concerns about how such changes might affect these historical sites long-term. The research team plans further exploration in hopes of finding more lost settlements nearby while maintaining cooperation with local communities.
