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Palenque, Mexico

Photo: Palenque, Mexico
The earliest Maya began to settle the dense rain forests of southwestern Mexico and Guatemala some 3,000 years ago. For nearly 1,400 years, settlements arose throughout the region, with some, like Tikal and Palenque (shown here), expanding into large, vibrant city-states.
Photograph by Stephen Alvarez

Mysteries of the Ancient World

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