Archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in present-day Belize, revealing early landscape modifications by ancient societies in Central America’s Yucatan Peninsula. The discovery was made using drones and satellite images from Google Earth, and the findings were published on Friday in Science Advances. The canals were identified in Belize’s Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, where further excavations confirmed their use for trapping freshwater fish such as catfish. The study indicated that these canals, along with holding ponds, were constructed by semi-nomadic people on the Yucatan coastal plain and remained in use for over 1,000 years. This period included the formative era when the Maya began establishing permanent farming villages and developing a distinctive cultural identity. According to University of New Hampshire archaeologist Eleanor Harrison-Buck, aerial imagery was crucial in identifying the canals’ zigzag patterns extending for miles through wetlands.

The construction and use of these canals demonstrated the early inhabitants’ ability to manipulate their environment for survival and resource management. Artifacts such as barbed spear points found near the canals suggested that spearfishing was a common practice. Study co-author Marieka Brouwer Burg from the University of Vermont noted that these tools were likely attached to sticks for efficient fish hunting. The canal system not only diversified diets but also supported growing populations, laying the foundation for future cultural advancements. University of Pittsburgh archaeologist Claire Ebert, who was not involved in the study, emphasized that such large-scale environmental modifications indicated advanced societal organization at an early stage. This discovery highlights a continuous link between these early societies and the later development of the Maya civilization, providing invaluable insights into the region’s historical evolution.