Hidden Cities of the Rainforest Lecture

The talk will be given by Dr. Chris Jones, a Research Associate in the American Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Maya sites, such as Tikal and El Mirador, now enveloped in the dense vegetation of the Peten, Guatemala's jungle province, were once flourishing cities over a thousand years ago. These giants of the rainforest boasted elaborate architecture and large populations in what is now an almost uninhabited area. Through slides, this lecture compares sites such as Tikal, Palenque, and Piedras Negras, and considers smaller settlement to highlight how the ancient Maya made such a successful living in one of the world's most difficult environments. Recent key discoveries that contribute to new understandings of Maya life will also be discussed.

Free Admission