As enjoyable as it is to explore the ruins of the Maya city of Río Bec, actually getting there is half the fun—despite the challenge. Though this extraordinary archaeological site is only 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from the highway, in the dense jungle of southern Campeche, there is no such thing as a straight line,…
Chunhuhub is an archaeological site that could be described as modest in comparison to several of its contemporaries in the Puuc or Chenes region. Part of this comes down to the fact that much of the site has not been restored, making it hard for non-experts to properly “size it up”. But beyond the size…
The Mexican archaeological site of Muyil, also known as Chunyaxché, has reopened to the public after a 2024 closure for restoration. The reopening of Muyil follows on the heels of major works at Cobá, which, among other improvements, reopened the site’s largest pyramid, or Nohoch Mul, to visitors who wish to climb it. During restoration…
The entrance to Zaachila’s Tomb 1 is still covered with its original stucco, geometric Zapotec designs, and traces of color. If you arrive at the archaeological site of Zaachila knowing nothing about it, you might wonder what makes this place special. The surrounding town in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca is vibrant, home to a…
Inspired by the idea of La Ruta Puuc, we present our very own archaeological circuit in the state of Campeche. We call it La Ruta de Los Chenes.
Chichén Itzá welcomes thousands of tourists every day, yet its museum attracts only a tiny fraction of them. That will change. According to INAH employees who spoke with Yucatán Magazine, the museum complex will become the main access point to the archaeological site beginning in March. Whether this goal is met, however, remains an open…
Dzibilnocac is located in the Chenes region, “wells” in Yucatec Mayan, which begins south of the Puuc valley and hill range, an area dominated by cities like Uxmal and Kabah. Like many sites in this region, Dzibilnocac displays a wide range of architectural influences, including Chenes, Puuc, and Río Bec styles. While combinations of architectural…
I have fond memories of many haciendas, including weddings for friends and families. But the closest to my heart is Hacienda Uxmal, where my grandfather worked as a tour guide. My family connection with Hacienda Uxmal goes even further back, as my grandfather, Humberto Rosado Espínola, worked for the Barbachano family, which owned this hacienda…
Last week marked the 478th anniversary of the foundation of Yucatán’s largest city, Mérida. But as anyone who follows this column — or has any sense — is well aware, the arrival of the Spanish in Yucatán does not mark the beginning of history in the region, but rather a new chapter. While it is…
The archaeological site of Cobá ranks among the most impressive in the northern Yucatán Peninsula, which is truly saying something. Evidence suggests the city was first settled in the late third century BCE, though it would take another few hundred years for monumental construction at Cobá to begin in earnest. Beyond its striking architecture, several…
Archaeologists have descended on the tiny community of Granada to reunite the town’s two most beloved ancient relics. These guardians, as some in the community refer to them, are in fact two Maya carved stone monoliths depicting noblemen in the distinctive Oxkintok style. In 2019, one of these two monoliths was removed from Granada by…
When Dulce Guzmán became the 2.1 millionth visitor to Chichén Itzá this year, she joined a remarkable statistic that underscores an enduring paradox in Yucatán tourism: despite the peninsula being home to dozens of spectacular archaeological sites, one ancient city continues to capture the lion’s share of global attention. The numbers tell a striking story….
The year has proven to be a remarkable period for Mesoamerican archaeology and heritage management, driven by a combination of new technologies, persistent fieldwork, and a bit of serendipity. From confirming long-held theories to uncovering entirely new chapters of history and reopening once off-limit structures, 2025 has significantly deepened our understanding of the region’s complex…
The archaeological site of Iximche is located in the western highlands of Guatemala. It was once the capital of the Kaqchikel Maya kingdom in the late Postclassic period. Like Mixco Viejo, Iximche provides important information about the final era of independent Maya states of the highlands of Guatemala, as well as their first contact with…
At the INAH Yucatán Ichkaantijoo Symposium, researcher Benjamín González showcased a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model called Sáastun, capable of converting ancient Maya to English. While demoing Sáastun AI, González made it clear his work is still an early prototype, but left attendees at the conference impressed. The Sáastun AI model takes its name from a…
For information on our Central Mexico tour in February, CLICK HERE! Mérida’s northernmost major suburb, Fraccionamiento Las Americas, is the city’s largest 21st-century development, somewhere between the Periferico and the coast. This sprawling middle-class area is known for its uniform residential architecture and has its own schools, shopping centers, restaurants, bars, and entertainment spots. It’s…
For information on our Central Mexico tour in February, CLICK HERE! From Dec. 8 to 12, 2025, the Centro INAH Yucatán will host the annual Ichkaantijoo Archaeology Conference, drawing archaeologists, anthropologists, epigraphers, and heritage specialists from Mexico and around the world to share their research. The theme of this year’s conference is titled “The Maya:…
An archaeological site of the Maya culture; Xtogil’s ancient past is known to few, even though one of its cenotes has become a modest tourist attraction due to its proximity to Chichén Itzá. Today, Xtogil is covered in vegetation and remains virtually untouched by archaeologists, except for a research project that uncovered a dozen burials,…
Because Chichén Itzá is so full of amazing structures, and the fact that most tourists to the site only explore its central core, temples like El Osario (The Ossuary) often don’t get much attention. The most obvious observation often made about El Osario is that it bears a resemblance to the Temple of Kukulkán, though…
Archaeologists working on the Maya Train project have discovered a limestone Maya sculpture that could be up to 4,000 years old in Sierra Papacal, just north of Mérida. The carved stone face, depicting an elderly Maya lord, was found by archaeologist Manuel Pérez Rivas and his team from the National Institute of Anthropology and History…
One of the most immediately identifiable features of Maya architecture is the corbel arch. Corbel arches are not exclusive to the Maya or even to Mesoamerica; they can also be found in regions such as Southeast Asia and the Hellenistic world. But without a doubt, it was the Maya who pushed this architectural form to…
In the outskirts of Oaxaca’s capital city, lies San José del Mogote, an archaeological site that challenges just about everything we think we know about Mesoamerica. A contemporary of the ancient Olmecs, this Zapotec ceremonial center was founded around 1500 BCE and is remarkable not only for its antiquity but for its role as a…
INAH has installed a new wooden stairway to conserve Cobá’s largest structure while still allowing visitors to climb the ancient temple known as the Nohoch Mul. “The installation of the wooden stairway at Cobá is part of a project to improve the site’s infrastructure while maintaining its ancient heritage,” said a press statement released by…
Located near the north of Mérida’s Municipal limits, Dzibilchaltún is best known for its famous Temple of the Seven Dolls, to the point that this structure and the site have almost become synonymous. But Dzibilchaltún is full of other archaeological gems, which tell a story that began roughly 300 v years ago and continues to…
That’s all for now
That’s all for now