Most of the impressive examples of ancient Maya life—palaces, temples, plazas—were not unearthed until the late nineteenth century.
That’s almost 1,000 years after the Maya civilization flourished. What took archaeologists so long to discover it? One reason is that much of the Maya land is difficult, if not impossible, to reach. It’s full of dense rain forests, mountains, and volcanic peaks. Another reason for the delay in unearthing ruins is that the Spanish royal government didn’t let foreigners travel in its colonies.
In spite of incredible hardships, many hardworking, dedicated people spent many years of their lives unearthing what had become the lost culture of the Maya. Their determination kept a whole civilization from being wiped off the face of the Earth, without a trace.
