A high-resolution LiDAR survey of the Sierra de las Minas in Guatemala has revealed a massive complex of 1,100-year-old vertical forest terraces and specialized orchid nurseries. The data shows thousands of stone-retained platforms built into steep mountain slopes, supported by a sophisticated gravity-fed irrigation system. This discovery suggests the Maya were engaging in high-altitude ornamental and medicinal plant cultivation, far beyond traditional subsistence farming.
Archaeologists believe these nurseries were used to cultivate rare orchids and flowering plants used in elite ritual ceremonies and the production of perfumes. The LiDAR mapping also identified several small administrative outposts that managed the distribution of these plants to major lowland cities. This find represents a new dimension of Mayan environmental engineering, showcasing their ability to transform rugged mountain landscapes into productive, specialized botanical zones.