Lingering land dispute leads to blockade at Dzibilchaltún
The archaeological site of Dzibilchaltún has been closed to tourists by protestors who argue that they have been cheated out of their land
Looters target Yucatán cenotes in hopes of finding ancient treasure
The sacking of archaeological has become a serious issue, especially in the sparsely populated south of Yucatán.
Church in Temozón gets a much-needed restoration after powerful storm
Reconstruction of San Agustín Church in Temozón is nearly complete. The 18th-century church collapsed in 2018 during an exceedingly heavy rainy season. Weeks before its collapse, concerned locals had reported that the structure’s vault had begun to show signs of weakening. Mexico’s national institute for anthropology and history (INAH) began reconstruction work in February 2020. …
Strike may force Chichén Itzá to shut down again
Workers at Mexico’s National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH) are planning a weekend-long protest which intends to close down several archaeological sites across the country. Cutbacks to their benefits combined with constant delays in pay have made the protests inevitable, the workers said. “On Friday, April 16 we will begin closing down access to…
Court sides with 25 tour guides banned from Chichén Itzá
Yucatan’s third district court ruled in favor of 25 tour guides who had been repeatedly denied the ability to enter Chichén Itza for work. The judge found that the INAH had unlawfully denied them access and ordered that they be allowed to return to work. Tour guides at historic sites administered by the INAH are…
Tourist held after she illegally climbs Chichén Itzá pyramid
A tourist from Tijuana raised the ire of security personnel in Chichén Itzá when she ascended the famous Pyramid of Kukulkán. According to security at the archaeological site, the woman showed signs of intoxication. Amongst boos and jeers from other tourists, the woman descended the pyramid and was quickly detained by security. She was then…
New findings shed light on ancient Maya royal house
New research identifies inscriptions found at Chichen Itza as referring to individuals belonging to the royal house of Cocom, a common surname to this day in Yucatán. The discovery was made by the archaeologists Eduardo Pérez de Heredia and Peter Biró, who correlated existing information with hieroglyphs found in the structure known as the Temple…
Invited to promote Yucatan, social media influencers kicked out of Uxmal
Fashionable social media influencers invited to visit Yucatan to promote tourism were ejected from the archaeological zone of Uxmal for not following basic safety protocols, INAH said. The National Institute of Anthropology and History said the Instagram and YouTube celebrities, whose millions of followers saw them cavorting amid the ruins, “flagrantly violated the established safety…
Sunken Mayan slave ship found off Sisal coast
Off the Yucatan coast, archaeologists identified the remains of a ship that carried Mayan people into virtual slavery in the 19th century, the first time such a ship has been found. The ship was found about 2 miles / 3.7 kilometers off the port of Sisal in about 22 feet / 7 meters of water,…
Archaeology sites and museums in Yucatan opening soon
INAH announced a staggered reopening of Yucatan’s archaeological zones and related museums. The archaeological sites of Uxmal, Xcambó, Mayapán, Izamal and Ek Balam will open Monday “in a gradual and orderly manner,” INAH said. On Thursday, Sept. 17, the Palacio Canton Museum in Merida will reopen, and on Tuesday, Sept. 22, Chichen Itza and Dzibilchaltún…
Most of Mexico’s archaeological sites reopening, but not Chichen Itza
Mexico’s pre-Hispanic ruin sites have begun reopening to tourists for the first time since they were closed in March under coronavirus contingencies. But not Chichen Itza, Yucatan’s — if not Mexico’s — most famous archaeological site. INAH has not announced a date for its return to public access. On the other side of the Peninsula,…
Looser rules for restaurants, alcohol sales to begin Sept. 1
Updated to add that the state government has confirmed the agreement. After five months of economic lockdown, an agreement to allow restaurants to open later on weekends and liquor deliveries to homes by Tuesday, Sept. 1 was signed Friday morning. Shopping malls and movie theaters also reopen under today’s agreement. Museums and archaeology zones reopen…
INAH halts renovations at the newly blue InterContinental
The former Presidente InterContinental Hotel on Avenida Colon in Merida was almost completely switched over from warm salmon-pink to a cool midnight blue when INAH, guardian of Mexico’s heritage, pasted numerous red “Obra Irregular” signs on the facade and gate posts. Work at the site appears to have stalled as a result. While it is…
Palacio Cantón apologizes, promises reform, after dust-up with gay visitors
A peck on the cheek from one man to another drew the ire of an employee at the Museum of Anthropology in Mérida. Now, the government-run institution is apologizing for the staff hostility. “The Regional Museum of Anthropology, Palacio Cantón, confirms its commitment to diversity and to be an open and discrimination-free space. We greatly…
British Museum and Google open Maya collections to a wider, online audience
The final stage of the British Museum’s collaboration with Google Arts and Culture to digitize and disseminate the Ancient Maya collection of Alfred Maudslay was launched Wednesday. This important collection is made up of photographs, casts and related documents created during early archaeological research at Maya sites in the late 19th century. In cooperation with…
‘Maya steamroller,’ which helped build ancient highways, is being restored
Restoration work has begun on a “Mayan steamroller” that helped pave pre-Hispanic mega highways more than 1,200 years ago.
After collector dies, Mayan archaeological treasures returned to public view
Some Mayan relics have been liberated from a man’s private collection. The pieces were incorporated into the Single System of Public Registry of Monuments and Archaeological and Historical Zones. The delivery of these valuable pieces takes place as the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH,) celebrates 80 years of safeguarding Mexico’s heritage, said Eduardo…
Looters are raiding treasures in the Mayan city of X’baatún
A Spanish archeologist is calling on authorities to protect a ancient Mayan city from looters, who have been making off with pre-Hispanic treasures. Carmen Vareal Torrecilla said Yucatan needs to better protect Parque Oxhuatz. The dense jungle that covers the park’s X’baatún archaeological zone, jealously guards a 37-meter-high pyramid, a ball court and several other…
INAH to approve 1,000 permits to Centro property owners in 2019
Merida, Yucatan — The Centro property boom is official. INAH, the historic-protection agency, said renovations have more than doubled since 2017. The Institute of Anthropology and History anticipates closing out the year issuing around 1,000 construction permits, compared with around 400 two years ago. The director of the Yucatan INAH delegation, Eduardo López Calzada, explained that…
Fortress wall surrounding ancient Mayan city of Uxmal is uncovered
Work begins to study and restore a 2-mile barrier that protected the elite.
Palacio Canton museum’s 60th anniversary is celebrated with photos
Merida, Yucatan — A photography exhibit celebrating the Palacio Canton‘s 60 years as a museum is miles away from the famed Paseo de Montejo mansion. The show, “Heritage and Memories,” is in the contemporary art gallery on the Merida International Airport’s top floor. The exhibition consists of 61 images that were compiled by Gliserio Castañeda…
Rainy season puts more of the Centro’s historic homes at risk
Merida, Yucatan — Hoping to avoid another rainy season that topples some of the Centro’s crumbling mansions, the city is asking property owners to check the condition of their casonas. The Merida Directorate of Urban Development, in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and the Civil Protection unit of the City Council, reminded property…
Dog rescue begins in Chichen Itza archeological zone
Stray dogs roaming Chichen Itza will be cared for under a state-nonprofit initiative.
Forgotten Centro museum has had no visitors since January
Merida, Yucatan — A museum in a prime Centro location has been virtually ignored by the public for months. You can’t blame the location. It’s flanked by the busy, historic Church of the Third Order and the modern Music Palace. But the understated Pinacoteca Juan Gamboa Guzmán has had no visitors since the beginning of the…
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