Lost Maya Cities: Archaeological Quests in the Mexican Jungle

Following the publication of his 2008 encyclopedic survey of ancient Maya sites in in Mexico north of the Guatemalan border, Ivan Šprajc has become a fixture in the libraries of Maya central lowland archaeologists. Far from being an encyclopedia, his new book Lost Maya Cities is informative and entertaining in all its adventuresome aspects for everyone. I say informative because bits of information such as that the fer-de-lance can bite through boot leather and will chase one, may explain why my Maya informant Don Roberto nearly went apoplectic when I wanted to go into an off-season garden (milpa) to see how the beans had done. The book is entertaining in many ways including a bit of personal fulfillment. When my research group cored the seasonal swamps (bajos) around Calakmul in 2000 we crossed half way through El Laberinto Bajo at the city of El Laberinto and turned back half way having augured as many samples as we needed. I have been curious ever since about Villahermosa, the next settlement on the map to the south. It was interesting to see the rest of the trip to Villahermosa through Ivan's eyes, and then his group's persistent machete clearing on to Yaxnohcah, a spectacular site now being studied by Kathryn Reese-Taylor and her researcher colleagues. Also on a personal note, it was nice to run into Raymundo, my colleague from the Autonomous University of Campeche and others I have known, and to meet other like-souls such as the ever clever and resourceful Ciriaco. It was also nice to see how helpful the Mexican army was for Ivan and his intrepid band. We all owe Ivan a note of gratitude for this unique perspective on doing Maya archaeology.

LOST MAYA CITIES is a gripping account of decades of archaeological research that bore tremendous fruit in the remote jungles of Campeche, Mexico. Ivan Šprajc and his intrepid team spent years relocating then mapping dozens of major Maya ruins first reported in the 30’s by the Carnegie Institute of Washington, but long since swallowed back by the rainforest and lost again. Other areas of Campeche he explored were tierra incognita, resulting in the discovery of the major Maya ruin of Chactún with a surprising style all its own in the ancient Maya world.Not merely an account of archaeological knowledge recovered or uncovered, this book is an enthralling account of the day-to-day adventures and misadventures, triumphs and defeats, and joys and sorrows of decades of scientific quest in an isolated, unforgiving environment. I could not put this book down! It is a fantastic contribution both to Maya archaeology, and the adventures of archaeology!!Ivan Šprajc’s scholarly works are cherished companion volumes to the Carnegie reports of the 1930’s. LOST MAYA CITIES adds a spellbinding human element to the reality of archaeological research!!

I just finished reading the incredible book “Lost Maya Cities” by Ivan Šprajc. This is one of those books you don’t want to finish, you always want more chapters. It caught me since page one until the end.The narrative of Ivan is amazing and the archaeological terminology is well explained.I was lucky to meet Ivan 5 or 6 years ago at a restaurant in Santa Elena, Yucatán, we had a great 10 minute conversation and I could perceive the same kindness and passion in his talking, that I read in his book.It was great to find out the amazing work Ivan and his team did to relocate some of the sites Ruppert and Denison discovered 70 years before, even when the coordinates by Ruppert were wrong by hundreds or even thousands of meters.As a passionate about the maya culture myself, as well as the exploration of maya sites, I went to Chactún, La Lagunita and Tamchén in December 2014, only a few months after Ivan and his team could finally get out of the jungle because of that long bajo underwater. And I could realize that the narrative in his book is true and not exaggerated. I will never forget the crossing of that long muddy bajo, so relive my own adventure while reading Ivan’s, made me very happy.Congratulations Ivan, I Just hope we could have another book like this one in the future.Saludos

When the discovery of CHACTUN hit the press I contacted an acquaintance at MESOWEB to ask if this Ivan Sprajc was for real. The fiasco pertaining to the Monkey God "discovery" in Honduras left me somewhat skeptical. He assured me he was for real and that it was a fantastic discovery. I was on a 2 month waiting list. It was a major disappointment.It was repetitious. Sprajic had uncovered/discovered over 80 sites. dilapidated plazas, mounds, and very few stelae with a few long count dates. It left you hanging. Much of the book was retracing Teobert Maler and Karl Ruberts footsteps. The pictures were often blurry and dark.and as far as "having changed our understanding of Maya civilization in the area " Well I just didn"t get it!!Lastly there was no imagination in the writing. Unlike david Freidel's CEROS: THE COSMIC KINGS, in A FOREST OF KINGS or JOHN LLOYD STEVENS legendary works where the reader was right there.I felt the Title was misleading for 96% percent of the cities were not lost. REVISITING MALER"S USUMACINTA by ANDREW SCHERER and CHARLES GOLDEN is everything this book wasn't. it's subtitle " recent Archaeological Investigations in Chiapas is honest and well written.In conclusion, " Local informants were essential in the early days of Maya Archaeology, as they still are today,underscoring the fact that explorers and archaeologists RARELY DISCOVER new sites but instead are usually directed to them by local informants. Yes there was 1 major discovery, Chactun but only graced the last pages of the book with very little information. This book goes on my bookcase of Mayan archaeology in hopes that it too might become lost.

Read this, and you are there with one of the best. With a modest budget, but years of dedication and collaboration with an excellent team, Ivan Sprajc has put very consequential Mayan sites back onto the map. Enjoy.

If you’re interested in the ancient Maya, this is what it’s like to be on the sharp end of archaeological discovery in the present day. An intriguing, well-written and highly readable account. Excellent!