Treasure hunters and then archaeologists located the 'Lost City' (Teyuna) built by the Tayrona people in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, around 800 AD. The stone terraces and plazas were overgrown in the jungle. It predates Machu Picchu and reveals pre-Columbian urbanism.

The rediscovery of Ciudad Perdida in 1972 added depth to Latin American poetry, particularly in works that explore the themes of indigenous lost cities and the harmony between nature and humanity. Poets such as Gabriel García Márquez have drawn on these motifs, emphasizing the connection between cultural identity and environmental stewardship.