Archaeological vestiges found in the works of the Maya Train force to divert its route

MÉRIDA, Yucatan, (December 10, 2021).- The location of archaeological vestiges on the Maya Train route implied increasing the road in Yucatán and Campeche from 175 to 300 kilometers, with the aim of preserving the monuments.

The commissioner for Archaeological Salvage of the Maya Train, attached to the INAH Yucatán, María de Lourdes Toscano Hernández, explained that due to the discoveries of structures and monuments with archaeological value, the road in Yucatán and Campeche was increased.

Toscano Hernández stated that along the 1,500 kilometers of the Maya Train route 18,424 monuments have been discovered that chronologically are located before the arrival of the Spaniards.

Archaeological remains in Yucatán

The specialist explained that in section 3, from Calkiní to Izamal, 6,736 monuments have been discovered.

“In section 3, some 4,934 remains are buildings, most of which are remains of Mayan houses. Also, 1,802 are movable vestiges, mostly remains of vessels, ” he said.

He argued that in the case of Yucatan there was human occupation before the arrival of the Spaniards, so that currently, in one hectare there are at least three pre-Hispanic vestiges, which can be immovable or movable monuments.

Recent Findings

Just last weekend, during the construction works of the second section of the Maya Train, located between Escárcega and Calkiní, Campeche, a pre-Hispanic space was discovered where two altars were located, a monolith in the shape of a turtle shell and also a head worked in rock.

In October 2020, during the work of the train, vestiges of two Mayan cities were located in the south of Campeche, which group at least 91 structures, which due to their morphology and distribution correspond to pre-Hispanic buildings of a monumental type.

According to Toscano Hernández, the Maya Train has become a trigger for research and a generator of knowledge about the Maya civilization, since the discoveries of the National Institute of Anthropology and History signify a 100-year advance in the development of research on this culture.

Source: Sipse