Hot-air balloons drift over the Pyramid of the Moon, Pyramid of the Sun, and the arrow-straight Avenue of the Dead.

These 5 ancient cities once ruled North America—what happened to them?

Teotihuacan, Cahokia, and other metropolises featured striking religious centers, multifamily dwellings, and burial mounds, only to vanish. Archaeology is slowly revealing their splendid pasts.

Hot-air balloons drift over the Pyramid of the Moon, Pyramid of the Sun, and the arrow-straight Avenue of the Dead.
Image courtesy of Max Shen/Getty Images
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.

Unlock this Nat Geo Premium content–and much more

Want to keep exploring? Unlock this exclusive story and more with Nat Geo Premium.
Already a subscriber?
Sign In

Read This Next

What bacteria lurk in your city? Consult the bees.
Is melatonin giving you nightmares?
Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet