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After its former allies. this is historical archaeology. we don't just talk about processes any more and theories, now we talk about specific events, specific people. because we can read the inscription. and yet, this tomb was almost destroyed before estrada belli, or any another archaeologist, were able to discover it. and here is the tomb chamber. wow. looters came and dug a hole right behind this doorway. and they missed by the structure with the freeze by 27 metres, i'll show you. so that's the freeze right there... whoa! so that's the corner image of one of the dead kings.

An important character that a temple was created for him so he would never be forgotten. when you are here, be careful. they are supporting the roof. if you fall, fall this way. so, don't fall on the sculpture. this was all from one king? yes. for the first king. this king not only was powerful. we know about his extension of power. lidar is helping us recognise everything this king did to preserve him, his family and his legacy. the creation of a dynasty. a find like this tells you there is a king, then the lidar helps you realise what the whole context is. and how much even more there is, an...

Is that we weren't very good at it. a lot of sites around here were abandoned at the end of what we call the classic period. around 900, something like that. but el zotz had people living here up until the 1300s. we're probably somewhere near the old camino real, the new spain road that passed down through central america. and supposedly was built on top of a major pre—columbian through—way. but nobody has pinpointed where that ran through. we wonder if lidar will eventually reveal that to us. that would be amazing. the first king of el zotz was such an important character that a temple wa...

Destroyed before estrada—belli or any other archaeologists were able to discover it. here is the tomb chamber. wow. looters came and dug a hole right behind this doorway. and they missed the structure with the frieze by 20 centimetres. i'll show you. that is the frieze right there. that's the corner image of one of the dead kings. you can imagine what they would have done. they would have thought "there is definitely something cool behind this carving" and they would just blast through it. he's all there. it goes for eight metres that way and another five this way. he has been damaged on pur...

To scratch the surface. there's a deep hole and that is where they are digging right now. don't let me down. the maya city of holmul has been an obsession of archaeologist francisco estrada—belli for the last 20 years. he calls it the gift that keeps on giving. trying not to get stuck. in recent years, his work has been aided by the use of lidar, a technology currently transforming archaeology. i have come here, on the border with belize, to learn more about what estrada—belli