Recent fieldwork indicates that the ancient Maya used much more intensive cultivation patterns than was previously thought. Data from synthetic aperture radar in aerial surveys of the southern Maya lowlands suggest that large areas were drained by ancient canals that may have been used for intensive cultivation. Limited ground checks have confirmed the existence of canals. The new data suggest that Late Classic period Maya civilization (600 to 900 A.D.) was firmly grounded in large-scale and intensive cultivation of swampy zones. -- AATA