Forensic Engineering Research Uncovers Lost Maya Engineering Landmarks
James A. O’Kon · 2007
More than a millennium before Columbus landed on the new world, the Maya developed a culture with advanced scientific and technological capabilities. These distinctive scientific breakthroughs were developed without diffusion from outside cultures. For hundreds of years, amazing technical accomplishments of America's first civil engineers were jealously hidden by the mysterious rainforest. Recently the accomplishments of Maya Engineers have been uncovered by a new breed of forensic engineers. This new discipline of "archaeo-engineering" has uncovered evidence of the works created by ingenious Maya engineers. Archaeologists consider the Maya to be a Stone Age culture because they did not use bronze or iron implements. However, these professionals lack the technical training required to comprehend the sophistication of the Maya sciences which enabled them to create their technologically advanced society. This paper will concentrate on three salient Maya engineering breakthroughs that were combined synergistically to construct an engineering landmark of the ancient world. These Maya engineering landmarks have recently been uncovered by Archaeo-engineers using digital tools, state-of-the art computer modeling and simulation, and forensic engineering techniques developed by the Council for Forensic Engineering of the ASCE.