Indonesian Digital News Archive

A team of of researchers has used advanced technology to locate ancient ruins in the depths of the Honduras jungle. The site, which falls inside the fabled Mosquito Coast, could be the lost city of Ciudad Blanca (The White City) which inspired treasure hunters, archaeologists and historians for centuries.

The research team from the University of Houston used a survey plane equipped with a laser-based light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system to discover the site. These lasers are able to penetrate the thick canopy of the jungle and map the surface below it at an incredibly accurate level. The system has been used in recent years to get a clear picture of the Honduras' countryside but it has also helped to reveal these kinds of surprises too. The lasers have been accurate enough to map the newly discovered site, which includes a large central plaza with two pyramids at either end, one large one small. There are numerous other structures of various sizes near by as well.

The legend of Ciudad Blanca has been around since at least the 1500's when Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes went in search of the city. Cortes believed that it was a site with great wealth, including vast hoards of gold. He never found his treasure but that hasn't stopped other expeditions from continuing the search. Over the centuries some have claimed to have discovered it, but there has been no concrete evidence to support those claims and most archaeologists today regard the city as just a myth.

Whether or not this site is indeed Ciudad Blanca remains to be seen, as aside from the fact that researches now know it exists, little else is known about the ruins. A major archaeological expedition will need to be mounted to go in search of the place and excavation will likely not proceed for years. Such an expedition will be a challenging undertaking as the dense jungles of the Mosquito Coast will not be easy to penetrate, but those who do make the journey will be witnessing a lost history that man has not seen for a very long time.

If that expedition is in need of a blogger to join them on that journey and chronicle their findings, I'd be willing to come along!

Over the past few weeks I've shared some stories on my recent visit to Jordan, first writing about the history and culture of the place and then following that up with some destinations for adventure. Today I also wrote a piece for Gadling.com on Petra, Jordan's most well known and iconic landmark. The piece is entitled Petra: Beyond The Treasury, because I found that there was far more to see and do there than I had ever imagined.

The ancient city of Petra was originally founded in the 6th Century BC, when it was founded as part of an effort by a tribe of Bedouins known as the Nabataeans. Over the centuries they built up a trade empire and used the city as their capital. Later it was conquered by the Romans and eventually abandoned altogether. As the centuries passed it was all but forgotten, until it was rediscovered by explorer Johann Ludwig in 1812.

Images of the place have always intrigued travelers, who are fascinated by the stone buildings carved directly into the sandstone walls. The best known of those structures is called the Treasury, although in truth it was actually a tomb. As I point out in my story for Gadling, for many people the Treasury is Petra and what they don't realize is that it stands at the entrance of a massive complex of stone structures that can take several days to explore completely.

When I visited the site back in April I was surprised to find so many other ruins there, including a Roman amphitheater, a temple, and dozens of other structures. There was even one ruin known as the Monastery that was every bit as well preserved and impressive as the Treasury, but it is lesser known in part because it sits atop a high plateau that requires a hike up 900 stairs to reach. A similar site, known as the High Place of Sacrifice, is also worth the climb (in this case a mere 700 steps!) as it provides excellent views of the city.

Before I went I already knew that Petra was a wonder, but until I saw it first hand I didn't realize just how impressive it is. Walking through the place is like walking through history and I feel that it is worth visiting Jordan for Petra alone. Obviously there are many more things to do and see in the country, but Petra is, without a doubt, the one destination you shouldn't miss.