Swamp Architects

On the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula lie the wetlands of Belize. Swampy, hot and full of mosquitoes, these are unappealing places. But when they dry out each season, visitors noticed earthen banks that cut across the marsh. They thought these were water gathering facilities created by the Maya, who populated Belize centuries ago. Then carbon dating revealed they were at least a thousand years older. What could they be? When extended drought dried the swamps long enough for detailed field work, archeologists used new technology to learn more. With lidar—laser technology that can create detailed topographic images—they could ‘see through’ swamp vegetation. With drones, they could photograph difficult areas to reach. Combined, these allowed them to build a detailed 3D map of the area, revealing a vast, zig-zag network of channels and pools. In the wet season, when waters rose, ocean fish and other marine life would stream into the wetlands to spawn. When the dry season came, the channels would guide the fish into holding ponds for further growth and easy capture. This was a sophisticated system of aquaculture, centuries before the Maya. The scientists estimate it allowed as many as 15,000 people to live in and around the swamps, which they had re-engineered for their needs. These clever swamp dwellers may be the cultural predecessors of the great civilizations of Mesoamerica.