Scientists have discovered 417 ancient Mayan cities in a densely forested area, with a history dating back to around 1000 B.C. in Guatemala.

Researchers from a joint U.S.– Guatemala archaeological expedition revealed in an interview with The Washington Post that they had uncovered 417 cities connected by a network of "highways" spanning 177 kilometers (109.9 miles), dating back approximately 3,000 years.

This discovery challenges historians to rethink what they know about the ancient Maya civilization.

According to The Washington Post, the discovery of a road and city network, hydraulic systems, and agricultural infrastructure indicates that the communities living in Central America were more advanced than previously thought.

Groundbreaking radar technology was used to unveil and map the structures concealed under dense forest cover for thousands of years. The findings have the potential to reshape what is known about the history of the American continent.

According to the document, these findings reflect "socioeconomic organization and political power."

Since 2015, the team has been mapping the region in Central America with scientists from the U.S. and Guatemala, using lidar technology—a significant technique in archaeological laser mapping—to reveal even the smallest details such as ancient vegetation.

According to the research, this technology enabled scientists to see ancient dams, reservoirs, pyramids, platforms, road networks and even ball courts.

Enrique Hernandez, an archaeologist at San Carlos University in Guatemala City and co-author of the article, stated to The Washington Post that further work on the project could make a historic discovery as significant as the Egyptian pyramids.