William sent in the link www.yahoo.com/news/oldest-largest-ancient-maya-structure-151016465.html … but the story is also available elsewhere – such as https://phys.org/news/2020-06-largest-oldest-maya-monument-importance.html … LiDAR technology, from an aeroplane, has discovered a number of ancient meso-american structures, otherwise unknown. This one was found on the border between Mexico and Guatemala and is thought to date from between 1000 and 800BC. The ceremonial building at the site is larger than any other in the entire Mayan history ….
…. it's an interesting date as well, the 9th century BC. Something seems to have occurred to cause a break in settlement. The Mexican Olmec culture fell into disarray. The San Lorenzo phase died out and it was a while before the next phase is reognised, the Olmec culture fell into decline (usually code for a sudden drop in population numbers), and eventually, the site of la Vena began to prosper. See also www.heritagedaily.com/2020/06/largest-and-oldest-maya-monument-discovere…