Lost for 50 Years: The Incredible Object Found Deep in the Jungle

Deep in the heart of the Yucatán jungle, archaeologists have just uncovered an incredible object that remained hidden for over 1,000 years. Using advanced LiDAR technology in early 2026, the team led by Ivan Šprajc has finally stepped into Ocomtún—a massive, lost Maya city that challenges everything we knew about ancient civilization.

Inside this expedition summary, you will discover:
The discovery of the "Stone Columns": Why these specific 50-year-lost artifacts are rewriting Maya history.
How LiDAR laser-scanning "peeled back" the jungle canopy to reveal 82-foot pyramids.
The mystery of the concentric structures: A ceremonial layout never seen before in the Yucatán.
The "Terminal Classic" secret: Why this massive urban center vanished so completely.

As of January 2026, the discovery of Ocomtún is being hailed as the most significant archaeological find of the decade. The site, which spans over 123 acres of densely vegetated wetlands, contains vast plazas, ball courts, and mysterious monolithic columns—the "incredible objects" that give the city its name. We explore the 2026 fieldwork that confirmed these structures, dating them back to the Late Classic period (600–800 AD). This isn't just a pile of ruins; it’s a sophisticated regional hub that remained a "blind spot" on our maps for half a century of modern exploration. We dive into the logistics of the Balamkú reserve expedition and why scientists are terrified that similar unmapped cities are being lost to climate shifts before we can find them.

Note: This video features data and footage cleared by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). All archaeological protocols were followed during the 2025-2026 expeditions.

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