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Researchers Discover Two New Ancient Cities In Mexico

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Aug 27, 2014 01:31 PM EDT

Researchers have discovered two ancient Maya cities in the southeastern part of the Gulf state of Campeche on the tropical forest of Yucatan peninsula. 

The first site, called The Tamchen has a 45-foot-tall plazas including grand buildings. Tamchen means "deep well" in Yucatec Maya, in reference to the presence of over 30 underground water tanks. 

The second site, known as Lagunita has been discovered by an American researchers Eric von Euw in 1970s. He documented various stone monuments and strange facade with an entrance showing open jaws of earth monster, reported Maine News. However, his works never got published. 

"The date on Stela 2 corresponds to A. D. 711, suggesting that Lagunita flourished contemporarily with the nearby Chactun, where we also found monuments with dates falling in the eighth century", said project epigrapher Octavio Esparza, according to Maine News. 

"It's amazing that we're still discovering new sites," said Lisa Lucero, a University of Illinois anthropologist, noting that the cities are located in an area once considered a buffer or a no-man's land, according to SFGate. "We're starting to fill in the gaps ... and they're more densely populated with centers and farmsteads than we thought."

Findings suggest unique characteristics in the lost cities, including the shapes of some altars and the forms of hieroglyphics. 

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