Violent disputes between neighbors and a king named “Bat.” These and other new details about a recently rediscovered, ancient Maya city located in the remote tropical forests of southeast Mexico are beginning to come to light. The approximately 37-acre settlement is so inaccessible that archaeologists initially nicknamed the site Minanbé, or “there is no road” in Yucatec Maya. Despite a challenging journey to the site, researchers have identified multiple building remnants dating back at least 1,100 years. Historical records also indicate heated regional conflicts, and even a local chieftain’s animal-inspired…
