Mayan Discoveries
A Lecture & Panel Discussion
Thursday, January 27, 2022
Virtual via Zoom | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM EST
Meridian International Center and the Embassy of Guatemala are pleased to present a virtual program highlighting recent groundbreaking discoveries about Mayan civilization and culture. As part of the Global Humanities Initiative, the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy is partnering with the Embassy of Guatemala to host a discussion on recent archaeological discoveries made by Dr. Marcello Canuto and Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli of Tulane University and Dr. Tomás Barrientos of the Universidad de Valle de Guatemala.
The archaeologists are part of a team of researchers led by Guatemala’s PACUNAM LiDAR Initiative, who recently discovered dozens of ancient, previously lost Mayan cities of more than 60,000 houses, palaces, elevated highways and other large constructions in the jungles of Guatemala.
The findings redefined previous understandings of how complex and interconnected Mayan civilizations were. Such findings, which had been missed by previous archaeological excavations and surveys in Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve, reveal that:
The Mayans populated the entire region in interconnected cities and manipulated the landscape to supply food and water for massive populations, rather than living in scattered, self-sufficient settlements.
The urgency with which archaeologists and cultural preservationists must work to combat looting and environmental degradation from jungle-clearing fires.
On January 27, 2022, the virtual program will begin at 11:00 EST with a lecture by Dr. Canuto and Dr. Estrada-Belli followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Barrientos, Dr. Sarah Parcak (University of Alabama), and Dr. John Walker (University of Central Florida), moderated by Dr. Loa Traxler (University of New Mexico). Guests will include students, leading archaeologists and anthropologists, cultural heritage and museum professionals and scholars, and organizations with a focus on Central America, Pre-Columbian studies, and Mayan cultures. The program, which will be presented in English with Spanish translation, will conclude with a Q&A session open to the audience.
This program is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of Meridian’s Global Humanities Initiative.
Event Schedule
11:00 AM-11:45 AM Lecture
Dr. Marcello Canuto and Dr. Francisco Estrada Belli, Tulane University
11:45 AM-12:30 PM Panel Discussion
Moderator: Dr. Loa Traxler, University of New Mexico
Dr. Tomás Barrientos, Universidad de Valle de Guatemala
Dr. Sarah Parcak, University of Alabama
Dr. John Walker, University of Central Florida
12:30 PM - 12:45 PM Q&A