Kiuic

Kiuic (meaning 'gathering place' in Mayan) is a biological reserve and former Maya city located in the Puuc (hilly) region of Yucatan state, Mexico, around 30 miles from the state capital Mérida. It has been mooted as one of the keys to potentially unlocking the secrets of the Maya collapse, for it holds material evidence for a massive exodus around a thousand years ago. Its jungly surroundings were thought to have been empty of human history until 2009, when a national archaeological team uncovered two pyramids and nine palaces. Also found were many tools and everyday items, such as corn-grinding stones, or metates.

Many experts have pointed to Kiuic as a perfect example of the sudden demise of the Maya culture, dubbing it a 'Maya Pompeii'. Many weapons and tools appear to have been downed on the spot, as locals fled for the Yucatan peninsula's northern coasts. Its pyramids are in excellent condition, albeit having been taken over by the rainforest, and the area is gathering pace as a tourist destination, both for its Maya history and for the vast biological diversity present. The Kaxil Kiuic Research and Education Centre takes small groups around the region regularly.