Submerged City of Samabaj — First village was it Santiago?

The Submerged City of Samabaj is a fascinating archaeological discovery located on the eastern shore of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala.

Dating back to the Preclassic period (around 400 BC to 250 AD), this ancient Maya city offers a glimpse into a sophisticated civilization that predates the founding of Santiago Atitlán. The submerged ruins showcase impressive architecture, including temples, plazas, and stelae, hinting at a well-developed settlement that thrived centuries ago.

The discovery of Samabaj is relatively recent, with a local diver named Roberto Samayoa first encountering the underwater structures in 1996. Initially met with skepticism from archaeologists, who believed it to be scattered pieces of pottery, Samayoa’s persistence and later photographic evidence eventually convinced researchers of the site’s significance.

Samabaj’s unique underwater location has preserved the city in an almost untouched state, offering researchers a valuable opportunity to study Mayan life and culture without the disturbances of looting or urbanization. This makes it a highly significant archaeological site, holding the potential to unveil new information about the Maya civilization.

Originally published at https://growyourowncure.org on February 27, 2024.