Chiapas, Mexico - Archaeologists in Mexico have announced the stunning discovery of the legendary lost Maya city of Sak-Bahlán, also known as the “White Jaguar” city. This site is deep in the jungles of Chiapas. The find is being hailed as one of the most significant in Maya archaeology in decades. Sak-Bahlán is believed to be the last stronghold of the Lacandon Maya rebels. These rebels resisted Spanish rule well into the 17th century.
The site was located in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, which is a remote and dense rainforest area near the Guatemala border. Explorers had searched for Sak-Bahlán for generations. It featured in Spanish colonial records and Lacandon oral histories, but had never been found until now. According to historical accounts, Sak-Bahlán (meaning “White Jaguar” in the Ch’ol Maya language) was established by Lacandon Maya who fled Spanish incursions. They maintained their independence for 110 years after the fall of their former capital in 1586, moving ever deeper into the jungle. The last known mention was in 1695. This was when a Spanish friar wrote of visiting a Lacandon settlement called Sak-Bahlán, which by then was being abandoned. By 1721 it was deserted and swallowed by the forest.
Nearly 300 years later Sak-Bahlán found
Now, nearly 300 years later, researchers from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and international partners have pinpointed the site. The breakthrough came through a combination of cutting-edge technology and historical sleuthing. A young Mexican archaeologist, Josuhé Lozada Toledo, developed a predictive model using GIS mapping and LIDAR data to analyze likely locations given clues from colonial chronicles. He fed in variables like topography, waterways, and distances mentioned in documents such as a 1698 letter by Fray Diego de Rivas. This letter described traveling from Sak-Bahlán to other points. The model highlighted a particular area by the curve of the Lacantún River that fit the descriptions.
When the team investigated on foot, they discovered ruins that matched known features of Sak-Bahlán. Initial findings include remnants of stone structures and defensive fortifications, pottery shards, and evidence of dwellings. Some structures are modest compared to Classic Maya cities. This aligns with Sak-Bahlán’s role as a refuge rather than a grand ceremonial center. However, the researchers did find a dilapidated colonial-era church structure. This is likely evidence of Spanish attempts to establish a mission at Sak-Bahlán, as records indicate some friars reached the site in the late 1600s.
Finding rewrites Maya resistance history
One of the lead archaeologists, Dr. Brent Woodfill of Winthrop University, said the discovery “rewrites the final chapter of independent Maya resistance”. The Lacandon rebels of Sak-Bahlán were infamous in colonial times for evading Spanish conquest. They raided mission towns and then melted back into the rainforest. The Spanish referred to them as a persistent “nightmare” on the frontier. Finding their last refuge provides tangible proof of their endurance and way of life. Excavations so far reveal that at its height, Sak-Bahlán had fortified walls and lookouts. It sustained perhaps a few hundred inhabitants.
Interestingly, the team uncovered artifacts suggesting contact and trade. Despite being “lost,” the Sak-Bahlán Maya obtained Spanish iron tools and Catholic religious items, possibly through captured goods or clandestine trade with allies. These artifacts will be analyzed to understand the cultural interchange in that tumultuous period.
The discovery has been confirmed by INAH and has already been registered in Mexico’s official catalog of archaeological zones under the moniker “Sol y Paraíso”. A code name was used during the project. Secrecy was maintained until the site could be secured against looters. Now that the news is public, the government is dispatching guards to protect it. There are concerns that given Sak-Bahlán’s legendary status, looters might target it. They might be looking for supposed hidden treasure or religious relics.
Deeply meaningful discovery for descendants
For the Lacandon Maya descendants (a small community still exists in Chiapas), this discovery is deeply meaningful. Maya leader Martín Chablé said in a statement, “Our ancestors’ footsteps have been found – Sak-Bahlán is part of our heritage and memory.” Plans are underway to involve indigenous communities in preserving and possibly eventually presenting the site to the public. However, researchers emphasize that conservation will be tricky. The area is ecologically sensitive. Additionally, simply reaching the ruins requires trekking through difficult terrain.
Excavation work will continue for years. Archaeologists are excited to piece together how the Lacandon rebels lived, organized their resistance, and eventually dispersed. The “White Jaguar” city, once consumed by myth and jungle, is giving up its secrets. It is illuminating a tale of resilience and defiance that had been buried for centuries.
