Some of the most inhospitable land in the world is found in Nicaragua. Home of the most poisonous snakes on the planet, deadliest spiders and angry, stinging plants.
It also happens to be home to an ancient city, known to many as la Ciudad Blanca, or the White City. There has been much speculation about the existence of this site for many years but because of the deeply forested jungle and harsh terrain, exploring the region was more than a challenge, it was nearly impossible. Until recently.
Dr. Chris Fisher and Dr. Stephen Leisz have been working in the Mosquitia Coast region of Central America for the past few months to access this remote archaeological site. Partnering with an international team and as part of a broader collaboration with the Global Heritage Foundation (GHF), UTL Productions, the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) and the Honduran Government, Fisher and Leisz have been gathering LiDAR imaging in order to map the until now, otherwise inaccessible site. Data gathered so far suggests that the settlements could have housed as many as 20,000.
This summer will keep Fisher and Leisz busy with analyzing the data they have collected thus far as well as planning for future fieldwork which will further verify results part of the larger GHF project. Leisz and Fisher will be presenting their initial results from the project at the upcoming American Geophysical Union Meeting of the Americas held in Cancun, Mexico May 14-17.
Read the full press release here
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