New research using high-resolution ground-penetrating radar and acoustic modeling has identified a network of sound-deflecting stone walls and plazas in the residential sectors of Tikal. These structures appear to have acted as acoustic barriers, designed to mitigate the noise of high-traffic urban areas for elite residential zones.
The study, published by the Mesoamerican Research Center, suggests that Maya urban planners possessed a sophisticated understanding of sound wave propagation. By angling the facades of specific buildings and utilizing porous volcanic stone cladding, they were able to create 'quiet zones' within the densely populated city-state.