Archaeologists have discovered ruins of what is thought to be the legendary "White City" or "City of the Monkey God" in the jungles of Honduras.
Within the city ruins, scientists mapped a plaza, pyramid, stone sculptures, and other evidence of a culture that
existed 1,000 years ago and then vanished, National Geographic reported.
The pristine condition of the site, including what looks to be an offering at the base of the pyramid, is “incredibly rare,” Christopher Fisher, a Mesoamerican archaeologist from Colorado State University, said, according to National Geographic.
Artifacts include stone ceremonial seats and decorative vessels.
The possible City of the Monkey God ruins were first identified during an aerial survey in 2012 in a remote valley in La Mosquitia, matching the descriptions of a lost city told by explorers for hundreds of years. Archaeologists believe the city may be one of many similar settlements in La Mosquitia.
“This is clearly the most undisturbed rain forest in Central America,” ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin said, according to National Geographic. “The importance of this place can’t be overestimated.”
Some archeologists are skeptical about the find.
“It seems that every two years somebody comes out saying they’ve found the White City,” Shanti Morell-Hart,
an assistant professor at McMaster University, said, according to The Christian Science Monitor. “The discoveries are all wonderful and exciting until you find the next ‘White City.’ More exciting is a pattern that finally jumps out — like statues of jaguars to rulership and religious practices or something that’s strikingly different found in the region.”
Ben Thomas of the Archeological Institute of America estimated that archeologists have “only found about 40 percent of what’s out there to discover in South America,” The Christian Science Monitor said.
Countless explorers have searched for the legendary White City, which was described in ancient text to include ivory temples filled with treasure. Some called it the White City of the Monkey God after tales from local tribespeople about a monkey-worshipping civilization.
Twitter users commented about the find.
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