Aerial remote-sensing of a large region of Mexico has revealed hundreds of ancient Mesoamerican ceremonial centres, including a large one at an important site for the ancient Olmec culture that is known for its colossal stone heads.

The remote-sensing method, called lidar, pinpointed 478 ceremonial centres in areas that were home to the ancient Olmec and Maya cultures, dating to roughly 1100 to 400BC, researchers said this week. The study was the largest such survey involving ancient Mesoamerica, covering the state of Tabasco, southern Veracruz and bits of Chiapas, Campeche and Oaxaca...