Editing History of Guatemala (section)

=== Classic period ===
The Classic period of Mesoamerican civilisation corresponds to the height of Maya civilisation and is represented by numerous sites throughout Guatemala. The largest concentration is found in [[Petén Department|Petén]]. This period is characterised by expanded city-building, the development of independent [[city-state]]s, and contact with other Mesoamerican cultures. It lasted until around 900 AD, when the [[Classic Maya collapse|Classic Maya civilisation]] collapsed. The Maya abandoned many cities in the central lowlands, possibly due to a decline brought about by a drought-induced famine.<ref name="whyNationsFail">{{Cite book|last=Acemoglu|first=Daron|title=Why Nations Fail|year=2012|pages=143–149|publisher=Profile|isbn=978-1-84668-429-6}}</ref><ref>Dr. Richardson Gill, ''The Great Maya Droughts'' (2000), University of New Mexico Press.</ref>{{page needed|date=May 2013}} Scientists debate the cause of the Classic Maya Collapse, but the ''Drought Theory''—discovered through the study of lake beds, ancient pollen, and other tangible evidence by physical scientists—has gained traction.<ref>Dr. Richardson Gill, ''The Great Maya Droughts'' (2000), University of New Mexico Press</ref>{{page needed|date=May 2013}}

==== Lidar in Guatemala ====
In 2018, archaeologists revealed 60,000 previously uncharted structures in northern Guatemala using [[Lidar]] technology. This project applied Lidar across an area of 2,100 square kilometres in the [[Maya Biosphere Reserve]] in the [[Petén Department|Petén]] region of Guatemala. The new findings suggest that 7–11 million [[Maya peoples|Maya people]] inhabited northern Guatemala during the late classical period from 650 to 800 AD, twice the estimated population of medieval England.<ref name="NatlGeo" />

Lidar technology digitally removed the tree canopy to uncover ancient remains, showing that Maya cities, such as [[Tikal]], were larger than previously thought. The technology revealed numerous houses, palaces, elevated highways, and defensive fortifications. According to archaeologist Stephen Houston, it represents one of the most significant discoveries in over 150 years of Maya archaeology.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-sg/news/world/archaeologists-find-ancient-lost-cities-using-lasers/ar-BBNIdqB|title=Archaeologists Find Ancient Lost Cities Using Lasers|website=msn.com|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref><ref name="NatlGeo">{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/maya-laser-lidar-guatemala-pacunam/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807025257/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/maya-laser-lidar-guatemala-pacunam/|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 August 2019|title=This Ancient Civilization Was Twice As Big As Medieval England|date=1 February 2018|website=National Geographic News|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-find-ancient-cities-using-lasers-1145042|title=ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ANCIENT MAYAN LOST CITIES IN GUATEMALA USING LASERS|website=Newsweek|date=29 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42916261|title=Sprawling Maya network discovered under Guatemala jungle|publisher=BBC News|date=2 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/hidden-ancient-mayan-apos-megalopolis-110002872.html|title=Hidden Ancient Mayan 'Megalopolis' With 60,000 Structures Discovered in Guatemala Using Lasers|website=yahoo.com|access-date=8 September 2019|archive-date=5 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905113109/https://www.yahoo.com/news/hidden-ancient-mayan-apos-megalopolis-110002872.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/60000-lost-mayan-structures-found-beneath-guatemalan-jungle-2018-2|title=Archaeologists found thousands of hidden structures in the Guatemalan jungle – and it could re-write human history|last=Berke|first=Jeremy|website=Business Insider|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/hidden-ancient-mayan-megalopolis-60000-structures-discovered-guatemala-using-797865|title=HIDDEN ANCIENT MAYAN 'MEGALOPOLIS' WITH 60,000 STRUCTURES DISCOVERED IN GUATEMALA USING LASERS|website=Newsweek|date=2 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://olodonation.com/2018/09/30/archaeologists-discover-ancient-mayan-lost-city-in-northern-guatemala-using-lasers/|title=Archaeologists Discover Ancient Mayan Lost City in Northern Guatemala Using Lasers|last=Chukwurah|first=Precious|date=30 September 2018|website=Olodo Nation (Nigeria)|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/27/this-major-discovery-upends-long-held-theories-about-maya-civilization/?_ga=2.164638527.1462411402.1566373807-1089594517.1566373807&noredirect=on|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125231245/https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/27/this-major-discovery-upends-long-held-theories-about-maya-civilization/?_ga=2.164638527.1462411402.1566373807-1089594517.1566373807&noredirect=on|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2021|title=This major discovery upends long-held theories about the Maya civilization|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bgr.com/2018/02/02/mayan-megacity-discovered-guatemala-jungle/|title=Archaeologists discovered an ancient Mayan megacity hidden in a Guatemalan jungle|last=Wehner|first=Mike|date=2 February 2018|website=BGR|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref>