Early Cities in Mesoamerica

The Maya civilization did not evolve in isolation; both earlier and contemporary cultures, such as Zapotec and Olmec, provided examples, characteristics and techniques that influenced their development. Early cities, such as El Mirador and Nakbe, were well established with advanced building techniques; they were already creating enormous pyramids that were never matched in height by more advanced societies. The latest research is revealing evidence of huge populations that were completely unknown.