Classic Maya civilization in detail Lidar (a type of airborne laser scanning) provides a powerful technique for three-dimensional mapping of topographic features. It is proving to be a valuable tool in archaeology, particularly where the remains of structures may be hidden beneath forest canopies. Canuto et al. present lidar data covering more than 2000 square kilometers of lowland Guatemala, which encompasses ancient settlements of the Classic Maya civilization (see the Perspective by Ford and Horn). The data yielded population estimates, measures of agricultural intensification, and evidence of investment in landscape-transforming infrastructure. The findings indicate that this Lowland Maya society was a regionally interconnected network of densely populated and defended cities, which were sustained by an array of agricultural practices that optimized land productivity and the interactions between rural and urban communities. Science, this issue p. eaau0137; see also p. 1313 Lidar data elucidate the demography, agriculture, and political economy of Classic Lowland Maya civilization. INTRODUCTION Lowland Maya civilization flourished from 1000 BCE to 1500 CE in and around the Yucatan Peninsula. Known for its sophistication in writing, art, architecture, astronomy, and mathematics, this civilization is still obscured by inaccessible forest, and many questions remain about its makeup. In 2016, the Pacunam Lidar Initiative (PLI) undertook the largest lidar survey to date of the Maya region, mapping 2144 km2 of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala. The PLI data have made it possible to characterize ancient settlement and infrastructure over an extensive, varied, and representative swath of the central Maya Lowlands. RATIONALE Scholars first applied modern lidar technology to the lowland Maya area in 2009, focusing analysis on the immediate surroundings of individual sites. The PLI covers twice the area of any previous survey and involves a consortium of scholars conducting collaborative and complementary analyses of the entire survey region. This cooperation among scholars has provided a unique regional perspective revealing substantial ancient population as well as complex previously unrecognized landscape modifications at a grand scale throughout the central lowlands in the Yucatan peninsula. RESULTS Analysis identified 61,480 ancient structures in the survey region, resulting in a density of 29 structures/km2. Controlling for a number of complex variables, we estimate an average density of ~80 to 120 persons/km2 at the height of the Late Classic period (650 to 800 CE). Extrapolation of this settlement density to the entire 95,000 km2 of the central lowlands produces a population range of 7 million to 11 million. Settlement distribution is not homogeneous, however; we found evidence of (i) rural areas with low overall density, (ii) periurban zones with small urban centers and dispersed populations, and (iii) urban zones where a single, large city integrated a wider population. The PLI survey revealed a landscape heavily modified for intensive agriculture, necessary to sustain populations on this scale. Lidar shows field systems in the low-lying wetlands and terraces in the upland areas. The scale of wetland systems and their association with dense populations suggest centralized planning, whereas upland terraces cluster around residences, implying local management. Analysis identified 362 km2 of deliberately modified agricultural terrain and another 952 km2 of unmodified uplands for potential swidden use. Approximately 106 km of causeways within and between sites constitute evidence of inter- and intracommunity connectivity. In contrast, sizable defensive features point to societal disconnection and large-scale conflict. CONCLUSION The 2144 km2 of lidar data acquired by the PLI alter interpretations of the ancient Maya at a regional scale. An ancient population in the millions was unevenly distributed across the central lowlands, with varying degrees of urbanization. Agricultural systems found in lidar indicate how these populations were supported, although an irregular distribution suggests the existence of a regional agricultural economy of great complexity. Substantial infrastructural investment in integrative features (causeways) and conflictive features (defensive systems) highlights the interconnectivity of the ancient lowland Maya landscape. These perspectives on the ancient Maya generate new questions, refine targets for fieldwork, elicit regional study across continuous landscapes, and advance Maya archaeology into a bold era of research and exploration. Representation of the archaeological site of Naachtun, Petén, at twilight. Each ancient structure is marked by a yellow dot. CREDIT: L. AULD-THOMAS AND M. A. CANUTO Lowland Maya civilization flourished in the tropical region of the Yucatan peninsula and environs for more than 2500 years (~1000 BCE to 1500 CE). Known for its sophistication in writing, art, architecture, astronomy, and mathematics, Maya civilization still poses questions about the nature of its cities and surrounding populations because of its location in an inaccessible forest. In 2016, an aerial lidar survey across 2144 square kilometers of northern Guatemala mapped natural terrain and archaeological features over several distinct areas. We present results from these data, revealing interconnected urban settlement and landscapes with extensive infrastructural development. Studied through a joint international effort of interdisciplinary teams sharing protocols, this lidar survey compels a reevaluation of Maya demography, agriculture, and political economy and suggests future avenues of field research.

中文翻译：

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危地马拉北部机载激光扫描揭示的古代低地玛雅复杂性

经典玛雅文明细节 激光雷达（一种机载激光扫描）为地形特征的三维映射提供了一种强大的技术。事实证明，它是考古学中的一种宝贵工具，特别是在结构遗迹可能隐藏在森林树冠下的情况下。卡努托等人。目前的激光雷达数据覆盖了 2000 多平方公里的危地马拉低地，其中包括经典玛雅文明的古代定居点（参见 Ford 和 Horn 的观点）。数据产生了人口估计、农业集约化的措施以及对景观改造基础设施进行投资的证据。调查结果表明，这个低地玛雅社会是一个由人口稠密和防御城市组成的区域互联网络，这是由一系列优化土地生产力和城乡社区之间相互作用的农业实践维持的。科学，这个问题 p。eaau0137; 另见第。1313 激光雷达数据阐明了经典低地玛雅文明的人口统计学、农业和政治经济。简介 低地玛雅文明从公元前 1000 年到公元 1500 年在尤卡坦半岛及其周边地区蓬勃发展。这个文明以其在写作、艺术、建筑、天文学和数学方面的复杂性而闻名，但仍然被人迹罕至的森林所掩盖，关于它的构成仍有许多问题。2016 年，Pacunam 激光雷达计划 (PLI) 进行了迄今为止玛雅地区最大的激光雷达调查，绘制了危地马拉玛雅生物圈保护区 2144 平方公里的地图。PLI 数据使得描述玛雅低地中部广阔、多样和具有代表性的地带的古代聚落和基础设施的特征成为可能。原理 学者于 2009 年首次将现代激光雷达技术应用于低地玛雅地区，重点分析各个地点的直接环境。PLI 覆盖的面积是以往任何调查的两倍，并且涉及对整个调查区域进行协作和补充分析的学者联盟。学者之间的这种合作提供了独特的区域视角，揭示了尤卡坦半岛中部低地的大量古代人口以及以前未被认识的复杂景观改造。结果 分析在调查区域确定了 61,480 座古建筑，导致密度为 29 个结构/平方公里。控制许多复杂变量，我们估计晚古典时期（公元 650 至 800 年）高度的平均密度约为 80 至 120 人/平方公里。将此定居密度外推至整个 95,000 平方公里的中央低地，人口范围为 700 万至 1100 万。然而，定居点分布并不均匀；我们发现了以下证据：(i) 总体密度低的农村地区，(ii) 城市中心小且人口分散的城郊地区，以及 (iii) 单个大城市融合了更广泛人口的城市地区。PLI 调查揭示了为集约化农业而进行了大量改造的景观，这是维持这种规模人口所必需的。激光雷达显示了低洼湿地和高地梯田的野外系统。湿地系统的规模及其与密集人口的关联表明集中规划，而高地梯田聚集在住宅周围，意味着当地管理。分析确定了 362 平方公里的故意改造的农业地形和另外 952 平方公里的未改造高地，以供潜在的转地使用。站点内和站点之间大约 106 公里的堤道构成了社区间和社区内连通性的证据。相比之下，相当大的防御特征指向社会脱节和大规模冲突。结论 PLI 获得的 2144 平方公里激光雷达数据改变了对区域尺度古代玛雅人的解释。数以百万计的古代人口在中部低地分布不均，城市化程度不一。在激光雷达中发现的农业系统表明这些人口是如何得到支持的，尽管不规则的分布表明存在非常复杂的区域农业经济。对综合特征（堤道）和冲突特征（防御系统）的大量基础设施投资突出了古代低地玛雅景观的相互联系。这些关于古代玛雅人的观点产生了新的问题，完善了实地考察的目标，引发了跨越连续景观的区域研究，并将玛雅考古学推向了一个大胆的研究和探索时代。黄昏时分的 Naachtun 考古遗址，Petén。每个古老的建筑都用一个黄点标记。信用：L. AULD-THOMAS 和 MA 卡努托低地玛雅文明在尤卡坦半岛的热带地区及周边地区繁荣了 2500 多年（约公元前 1000 年至公元 1500 年）。玛雅文明以其在写作、艺术、建筑、天文学和数学方面的复杂性而闻名，但由于其位于人迹罕至的森林中，因此仍然对其城市和周围人口的性质提出质疑。2016 年，对危地马拉北部 2144 平方公里的航空激光雷达勘测绘制了几个不同区域的自然地形和考古特征。我们展示了这些数据的结果，揭示了具有广泛基础设施开发的相互关联的城市住区和景观。通过跨学科团队共享协议的国际联合努力进行研究，这项激光雷达调查迫使重新评估玛雅人口学、农业、