Sites › North America › Valeriana
Valeriana
| Location | Campeche, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Conventional date | Classic Maya city, peak about 750–850 CE (as reported). |
| Alternative date proposals | None with significant published support that we know of. |
| What is measured |
Found not by new fieldwork but by re-reading LiDAR collected for forest monitoring, a sign of how much remains hidden.
Claims about this site
| Claim | Status | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| LiDAR shows Maya lowlands were far more densely settled than thought | Mainstream | Measured: far denser settlement than mapped before |
Sources
- Auld-Thomas, L. et al. (2024). Running out of empty space: environmental lidar and the crowded ancient landscape of Campeche, Mexico. Antiquity. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.148 data
- INAH bulletin (2024). Dan a conocer Valeriana, un nuevo sitio arqueológico descubierto en la selva de Campeche. https://www.inah.gob.mx/boletines/dan-a-conocer-valeriana-un-nuevo-si… background
- Canuto, M. A. et al. (2018). Ancient lowland Maya complexity as revealed by airborne laser scanning of northern Guatemala. Science 361. doi:10.1126/science.aau0137 data
Dates are summarised in our own words from the sources listed. Conventional and alternative dates are both reported; "measured" lists only dated or documented findings. Methodology.