Preserving the sacred waters of Yucatán cenotes: A Carolina-led Initiative

The Yucatán peninsula’s landscape is characterized by thousands of natural sinkholes known as cenotes, formed when the region’s limestone bedrock collapses to reveal underground freshwater pools. These remarkable geological features—estimated to number over 6,000—form an interconnected aquifer system that has sustained life in the region for millennia.

To the Maya civilization, cenotes were not merely water sources but sacred gateways to the spiritual realm. Today, while they remain vital water reservoirs and popular tourist destinations, these natural wonders face mounting threats from contamination, environmental changes, and excessive tourism—challenges that demand urgent attention.

A team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has launched an educational initiative aimed at protecting these unique formations. Funded by National Geographic’s Bold Ideas program, anthropologists Patricia McAnany and Dylan Clark are spearheading a collaborative project focused on engaging local schoolchildren as environmental advocates.

“We’re working to harness the natural curiosity and developing social awareness of students aged 11-14,” explains McAnany, who serves as Kenan Eminent Professor of Anthropology and the project’s principal investigator.

The initiative brings together diverse expertise from both American and Mexican institutions. Clark, a Mesoamerican archaeology specialist who directs the InHerit program (Indigenous Heritage Passed to Present), coordinates the project alongside Ivan Batun-Alpuche from Universidad de Oriente in Valladolid. Their team includes underwater explorers from the Great Maya Aquifer Project, local educators from nine communities, and undergraduate students from both universities.

By early 2019, the group plans to complete a comprehensive bilingual curriculum in Spanish and Yucatec Mayan, featuring detailed lesson plans and activities across three key areas: traditional knowledge through oral history, scientific understanding and safety practices, and archaeological heritage.

The project incorporates innovative approaches like “photo-voice,” where students document personally meaningful aspects of cenotes through photography. This activity has provided researchers with valuable perspectives for curriculum development while giving students agency in the conservation conversation.

University Libraries’ Southern Historical Collection has contributed “Archivist in a Backpack” kits, with staff members training teachers to conduct oral histories that strengthen intergenerational connections within communities experiencing youth outmigration.

For McAnany, these collaborative aspects embody responsible archaeological practice. “Archaeologists have an obligation to make our work beneficial to and collaborative with communities,” she notes, positioning Carolina as a leader in participatory research methodologies.

The ultimate aim is practical application—creating educational materials that reinforce the significance of cenotes and empower the next generation of environmental stewards to protect the Yucatán’s vulnerable water system.

From information found at UNC magazine;s website.