Sunken Cities
Samabaj, the Maya Atlantis
Drowned ~250 AD · 16 m · Lake Atitlán, near Cerro de Oro, Guatemala
Research onlyThe prize. A pre-Classic Maya island city under a volcanic lake
Where. Lake Atitlán, near Cerro de Oro, Guatemala
Status. Research only
Where. Lake Atitlán, near Cerro de Oro, Guatemala
Status. Research only
The account
A diver looking for fishing spots in Lake Atitlán found stone stelae standing in the deep. Samabaj was an island town of the late Pre-Classic Maya, temples, plazas, monuments, until a volcanic event raised the lake and sealed it under fifty feet of water around 250 AD, its ceremonial stones still upright where the water rose over them. UNESCO confirmed it; the lake guards it.
Leads, where the trail points now
- Pin down the most specific last-known position in the record before going; the search centers on Lake Atitlán, near Cerro de Oro, Guatemala.
- What you are chasing is A pre-Classic Maya island city under a volcanic lake. Work the documented record of Samabaj, the Maya Atlantis back to primary sources and separate what is attested from folklore.
- Protected by Guatemala with UNESCO, closed to recreational divers; tell its story through the local museums.
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