Abavubukuli eGuatemala baye bathola ithuna lamaMaya elingavamile kusukela enkathini Yasendulo (ngo-350 CE), okungenzeka ukuthi kwakungelenkosi eyayingaziwa ngaphambili. Kutholwe endaweni yokuvubukula yaseChochkitam ehlathini lemvula lasePeten, ithuna likhiphe umcebo weminikelo yomngcwabo, okuhlanganisa nemaski enhle kakhulu ye-jade mosaic.
Besebenzisa ubuchwepheshe benzwa obukude (lidar), abacwaningi abaholwa uDkt. Francisco Estrada-Belli bathola ithuna. Ngaphakathi, bembule imaski ye-jade emangalisayo, ehlotshiswe ngomklamo we-mosaic. Lesi sifihla-buso kukholakala ukuthi sibonisa unkulunkulu wesiphepho samaMaya. Ukwengeza, ithuna laliqukethe amagobolondo e-mollusk angavamile angaphezu kuka-16 kanye nezinsikazi eziningana zabantu ezibhalwe ngama-hieroglyphs.
Imaski ye-jade ifana nezinye ezitholakala ezindaweni zasendulo zamaMaya, ikakhulukazi lezo ezisetshenziselwa ukungcwatshwa kwasebukhosini. Ukuba khona kwayo kusikisela ukuthi inkosi eshonile yayinamandla amakhulu nethonya.
Ngesikhathi sokubusa kwenkosi, iChochkitam yayiyidolobha eliphakathi nendawo elinezakhiwo zomphakathi ezinesizotha. Abantu abaphakathi kuka-10,000 15,000 no-10,000 XNUMX babehlala edolobheni, abanye abangu-XNUMX XNUMX behlala ezindaweni ezizungezile.
Abacwaningi bahlela ukwenza ucwaningo lolibofuzo ngezinsalela ezitholakale ethuneni ukuze kucace ukuthi inkosi ingubani. Ukumbiwa okuqhubekayo kuyaqhubeka, kulindelwe ukwembula ingcebo efihliwe nakakhulu kuleli dolobha eliyindida yamaMaya.
