Archaeologists utilizing high-resolution LiDAR and ground-penetrating radar have announced the discovery of a previously unknown Maya ceremonial center in the dense rainforests of the Alta Verapaz region. The site, centered around the 'Temple of the Jade Lord', dates to the Late Classic period and features exceptionally well-preserved limestone panels detailing a local dynasty's religious alliances.
The excavation team from the Institute of Maya Studies has recovered numerous jade votive offerings and ritual eccentrics beneath the main plaza. Unlike many looted sites in the region, this temple's hieroglyphic staircase remains entirely intact, providing a rare chronological record of the site's transition from a regional trade hub to a sacred pilgrimage destination during the 8th century CE.