X’catzmil is perhaps the most overlooked archaeological site in Mérida, in the community of Plan de Ayala, near the city’s southern boundary. The fact that X’catzmil is so overlooked is unfortunate since it is home to possibly the largest Prehispanic structure still surviving within Mérida’s city limits — excluding Dzibilchaltún in Chablekal. Reliable sources on…
Xcaret is a Mayan archaeological site located on the Caribbean coast within the privately owned theme park of the same name. In the Yucatec-Mayan language, xcaret means “small inlet.” But in antiquity, the name of the port city was p’ole’, which was derived from the root p’ol, which means “merchandise” or “deal of merchants.”
Anyone with even the faintest interest in history or archaeology surely knows of Yucatán’s archaeological sites, such as Uxmal, Chichén Itzá, and maybe even some lesser-visited sites like Chacmultún, and Labná. But aside from archaeological sites, and even entirely unrestored or vaguely documented remains of Prehispanic cities and towns in the bush — archaeology in…
Image above displays an INAH restoration specialist at work at El Meco Archaeological site. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine Over the past couple of weeks, hundreds of media outlets worldwide have reported on the discovery of the ancient Maya city nicknamed Valeriana in Mexico’s Campeche state. Several headlines, even from legacy…
Sitting atop a natural hill high above the banks above the confluence of the Macal and Mopan rivers lay the ruins of one of Belize’s most ancient and unique archaeological sites.
Mexico City is famous for its world-class museums, excellent cuisine, and vibrant nightlife. However, as anyone who has even skimmed the history of this megalopolis knows, its roots trace back further than any other city on its scale in North America. Well before there was Mexico City, also known as CDMX, there was the mighty…
INAH Yucatán Archaeologist Eunice Uc González knows about the scientific and social importance of the archaeological site known as Dzoyilá Granjas. Despite being on private property, the site is of historical and cultural importance, and efforts to protect it have involved both researchers and the local community. Eunice recounts that the first stage of work…
The ancient city of Altun Há was once one of the most important Mayan cities in Northern Belize. Today it’s among the most visited attractions in this tiny Central American country, especially by cruisegoers arriving at Belize city’s nearby port.
The Maya are renowned for many achievements, but arguably their most enduring legacy is the remains of their architectural feats. Most folks associate Maya architecture with temples and pyramids, but ballcourts, astronomical observatories and elite residential palaces are often just as impressive. When we throw around the term Maya architecture, we should be talking about…
The Yucatán Peninsula is home to hundreds of ancient pyramids, a testament to the ingenuity of the illustrious Mayan civilization. While these pyramids are impressive today, in their time, they would have appeared even more spectacular—covered in stucco and paint, often filled with interior chambers and topped with elaborate crest work. Maya pyramids are usually…
Xlapak has long been considered the “lesser” of all the Maya Puuc sites open to the public. Much of this has to do with the fact that for a long time, only a single restored structure was accessible to visitors. But thanks to recent improvements to the site’s infrastructure, new trails have been carved through…
Monte Alban was easily among the largest and most influential city-states during early Mesoamerican history. Established by the Zapotec civilization in the 5th century BCE, Monte Alban flourished for 1,500 years. Its eventual collapse coincides roughly with the fall of the great classic Maya city-states of the Petén, such as Tikal, over 800 miles away….
From the pyramids at Calakmul to the palace complexes in Uxmal or the ballcourt at Chichén Itzá — the grandeur of Maya archaeological sites — is lost on no one. But despite the awe these formidable examples of ancient architecture inspire, sometimes it’s essential to get close, zoom in, and appreciate the details. Some of the most…
If you asked most people in Yucatán if they have ever heard of Tahcabó, you would unlikely get many nods. But for locals, Tahcabó is far from some random backwater but rather “an ancient gem, uncorrupted by time,” as described by 72-year-old Don Emilio, who has lived in the community of just under 400 people…
The discovery of an extensive stone panel including 123 Maya hieroglyphs sheds light on previously unknown details about the ancient city of Cobá in Quintana Roo. The ancient stones tell of a previously unknown ruler of Cobá who went by the name of K’awiil Ch’ak Chéen. Thus, the K’awiil dynasty, now known to have comprised…
Atop a ridge overlooking a bountiful lake, Yaxhá grew rapidly to become one of the greatest ancient cities of the Petén during the early Classic period. Belonging to the Maya civilization, Yaxhá is in the municipality of Flores near the Belize border. Yaxhá translates to “green water,” likely making reference to Lake Yaxhá, which the…
Ch’el is a Maya archaeological site that sits inside a 19th-century hacienda property of the same name. Though it is best known by its contemporary name, Sihunchen, the site’s original name is thought to have been Ch’el — sometimes spelled Che’el or Chéel — which means “rainbow.” The Carnegie Institution conducted an archaeological survey of…
Caracol is a large ancient Mayan city located in Belize’s Cayo District and just a few kilometers from the Guatemalan border.
If you hear howls coming from the nearby jungle, don’t be alarmed. The howler monkeys that inhabit the jungle are very peaceful.
Explore Ek Balam for its famous Acropolis’ elaborate stucco reliefs, which are some of the most striking and well-preserved examples of artwork in all of Mesoamerica.
Tucked between five-star resorts along Cancún’s hotel zone sits the remains of the prehispanic settlement of San Miguelito.
The mountains and plains surrounding Oaxaca de Juárez are jam-packed with archaeological sites. Here are eight of our favorites.
Think of Uxmal as the Athens to Chichén Itzá’s Sparta, though this is a useful yet great oversimplification.
A contemporary of several of the Olmecs’ most ancient settlements is the Zapotec ceremonial center of San José del Mogote. Founded around 1500 BCE, San José del Mogote is notable not only for its sheer antiquity but also for the size of its temples and inscriptions. During the last half of the 1960s, research teams…
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