A third, hidden structure has been found inside a pyramid at the famed Mayan archaeological complex known as Chichen Itza. The structure was discovered through the use of electrical signals, and offers new insight into how the temple was built.
The Temple of Kukulcan dominates the center of Chichen Itza. The step pyramid is almost 100 feet tall and was built sometime between the 9th and 12th centuries. Its complexities are still being discovered by modern scientists. The second, inner structure of the Kukulcan was discovered in 1935. A 1931 issue of Popular Mechanics described the beginnings of the research efforts which sought to find answers to such questions as how the Mayans could move the immense rocks used to build the structure.
The third structure was discovered non-invasively. Thirty-three feet tall, the new pyramid fits comfortably inside Kukulcan's outer shell. It was discovered using small currents injected into the building itself, too small to cause any damage. These signals were then measured by a separate computer, and their variations revealed the inner structure. Its discovery led researcher Rene Chavez Seguro, of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, to describe the building in a news conference as "a Russian nesting doll."
The new internal structure is believed to been have been created before the other two. The building around it may have either been constructed to fix deterioration or to signify a new political power structure. Just last year, it was discovered that Kukulcan stands above an underground river, possibly giving a hint towards why the structure and location was treated with such prominence by the Mayans.
Source: BBC
David Grossman is a staff writer for PopularMechanics.com. He's previously written for The Verge, Rolling Stone, The New Republic and several other publications. He's based out of Brooklyn.
