Uncovering a Lost Civilization

The explorers John Lloyd Stevens and Frederick Catherwood were the first serious explorers to venture deeply into the dense tropical jungles of Central America. Their two expeditions into unknown territories encountered innumerable hazards that endangered their lives in order to find, investigate and document the hidden cities of the ancient Maya. They encountered intense heat, oppressive humidity, diseases, insects, and poisonous snakes as they slashed their way through impassable rainforests. In turn, they were rewarded with the discovery of ancient cities filled with amazing ruins that only local natives had seen. No one, not even the nearby villagers, knew their age nor who might have created the amazing architecture and artworks.