INAH promises to protect and preserve the archaeological treasures found on the Mayan Train route

Diego Prieto Hernández, general director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), assured that even when the route of section 5 south of the Mayan Train is changed, the most important issue is to preserve hundreds of archaeological ‘treasures’, that are scattered along the route.

“If the route is changed, there will still be many discoveries. The problem is not the tracing of the railway but the problem is the proper archaeological accompaniment to be able to recover the material that is being found,” declared the INAH official at AMLO’s daily press conference.

In that sense, Prieto Hernández provided the details about the results of the Archaeological Salvage Project that will be carried out all along the Maya Train route.

According to the director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, until July 10, 2022, the following findings have been found, registered, and preserved:

• 24,067 human settlement signs (foundations with cores, walls, plinths, leveling, etc.).
• 1,345 personal property items (metates, ceramics, lithics).
• 384 human bones.
• 775 natural features associated with the archaeological context.
• 489,067 ceramic fragments were analyzed (from section 1 to section 4).
• 380 complete vessels in the process of analysis and restoration.

Is Section 5 South at risk?
Last Friday, July 8th, the INAH reported that an archaeological ‘treasure’ was found in the area of ​​section 5 south of the Maya Train Project.

Manuel Eduardo Pérez Rivas, head of the INAH Archaeological Salvage Project, considered it necessary to modify this particular part of the route.

“There are five findings considered by the INAH as “of exceptional value”, and it is already indicated that a change of work has to be made to prevent them from being affected,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Prieto Hernández will deliver a monthly report on the improvement made by the INAH in the archaeological zones of the Maya Train construction works.

TYT Newsroom