H idden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of ...

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Archaeologists recover rare Tlacotepehua artifacts from Tlayócoc cave, Mexico, thanks to a discovery by a local guide and a Russian speleologist.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.

Hidden beneath the rainforest of southern Mexico sit the ruins of a massive ancient Maya settlement. Archaeologists knew of the site since the 1980s but hadn’t tried mapping it — until recently.