Volunteers find ancient Mayan pottery in an extensive cave system in Mexico
Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered ancient Mayan pottery in a cave system a little more than 10 miles away from downtown Playa de Carmen.
Members of Mexico's Cenotes Urbanos organization found a large globular pot while exploring Zumpango Cave and reported the discovery to officials, according to an April 21 news release from the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
Citizen scientists and volunteers with the Cenotes Urbanos organization preserve caves throughout the Yucatán Peninsula to facilitate documentation and conservation of these often archaeologically-significant environments.
Archaeologists said the pot is estimated to be between 575 and 825 years old, dating back to the Late Postclassic period before Europeans arrived in the Americas, according to the release.
The 'Classic Period' of Mayan civilization lasted from about 250 to 900 and was followed by the 'Postclassic Period,' which lasted from about 900–1519, according to Britannica. Mayan settlements and cities on the Yucatán continued to prosper during this period, experts said.
The pot, found in an alcove used as a shelf, was mostly intact with two opposing handles but appeared to be missing its neck and parts of the rim, according to the release.
Although the pot had calcified buildup on its exterior, experts said a painted black geometric motif was visible.
Archaeologists said the pot will be cleaned and studied to determine its exact age and other defining characteristics that may offer clues about its use and origin.
Zumpango Cave is part of the Garra de Jaguar system and features ground-to-ceiling columns of speleothems, or stalagmites and stalactites, according to experts.
Archaeologists Peter Sprouse, José Antonio Reyes Solís and Enrique Terrones González were involved in the artifact's recovery and documentation, according to the release.
Translate GPT was used to translate the news release from the the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Leprosy Was Lurking in The Americas Long Before Colonization, Study Finds
Historians have for a long time believed that leprosy was introduced to the Americas by European settlers, but the latest research offers strong evidence to the contrary – suggesting that Indigenous Americans had already been dying of the disease for centuries. The primary cause of leprosy is a bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae, and the researchers still think this was introduced to America by Europeans. However, it seems a lesser-known culprit was already established by that time. A new study from an international team of researchers found that another bacterium, Mycobacterium lepromatosis – a less common cause of leprosy infection – was present in the DNA of ancient human remains from Canada and Argentina dating back at least a thousand years. "This discovery transforms our understanding of the history of leprosy in America," says genomicist Maria Lopopolo, from the Institut Pasteur in France. "It shows that a form of the disease was already endemic among Indigenous populations well before the Europeans arrived." The M. lepromatosis bacteria was first discovered in a patient in the US in 2008, and since then it's also been found in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the UK. It may well have spread from the US to the UK in the 19th century, the researchers suggest. In partnership with local Indigenous communities in terms of handling ancestral remains, the researchers analyzed the DNA from a total of 389 ancient and 408 modern human samples. From the results, they put together a genetic family tree of leprosy bacteria. Even though they were thousands of kilometers apart, the ancient Canadian and Argentinian samples were remarkably genetically similar. That points to a rapid spread of M. lepromatosis across the American continents. Based on the timeline put together from the DNA, the different strains of M. lepromatosis would have split from a common ancestor more than 9,000 years ago. With that many millennia of evolution under its belt, the team says there are likely even more diverse forms of the bacteria still waiting to be discovered in the Americas. "We are just beginning to uncover the diversity and global movements of this recently identified pathogen," says biologist Nicolás Rascovan, from the Institut Pasteur. "The study allows us to hypothesize that there might be unknown animal reservoirs." This all adds a valuable extra layer to our understanding of the history of the Americas, and of leprosy. It gives researchers some incredibly useful data points in terms of the progression and diversification of the disease. Infectious diseases play an important part in the story of North, South, and Central America, with the arrival of Europeans introducing a host of new pathogens that Indigenous communities weren't biologically prepared for. Now we know that the leprosy part of the picture is a lot more complicated than we previously realized. Around 200,000 new cases of the disease are reported worldwide every year, though it can now be treated and cured with modern drugs. "This study clearly illustrates how ancient and modern DNA can rewrite the history of a human pathogen and help us better understand the epidemiology of contemporary infectious diseases," says Rascovan. The research has been published in Science. Does Retinol Reverse Signs of Aging? Here's The Science. Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Often Overlook A Specific Kind of Birth Control May Increase Stroke Risk
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ancient Mayan city unearthed, including pyramids and canals
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Mayan city nearly 3,000 years old in northern Guatemala, with pyramids and monuments that point to its significance as an important ceremonial site, the Central American country's culture ministry said Thursday. The Mayan civilization arose around 2000 BC, reaching its height between 400 and 900 AD in what is present-day southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The city named "Los Abuelos," Spanish for "The Grandparents," once stood some 13 miles from the important archaeological site of Uaxactun, in Guatemala's northern Peten department, the ministry said in a statement. It is dated to what is known as the "Middle Preclassic" period from about 800 to 500 BC, and is believed to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centers" of the Mayan civilization in the jungle area of Peten near the Mexican border, it added. "The site presents remarkable architectural planning," with pyramids and monuments "sculpted with unique iconography from the region," said the ministry. The city takes its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found at the site. The figures, dated between 500 and 300 BC, "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship," said the ministry. "Unique canal system" The city, which covers an area of about six square miles, was discovered by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists in previously little-explored areas of the Uaxactun park. Nearby, they also found a pyramid standing 108 feet high with murals from the Preclassic period and "a unique canal system," according to the statement. "The set of these three sites forms a previously unknown urban triangle... These findings allow us to rethink the understanding of the ceremonial and socio-political organization of pre-Hispanic Peten," said the ministry. Officials released a video showing archaeologists digging at the site and recovering a variety of artifacts, as well as an animation of the complex. In April, scientists discovered a 1,000-year-old altar from Mexico's ancient Teotihuacan culture at Tikal, elsewhere in the Peten department. That find was interpreted as proof of ties between the two pre-Hispanic cultures, which lived about 800 miles apart. Archaeologists also said that the altar was believed to have been used for sacrifices, "especially of children." Tikal, about 15 miles from Uaxcatun, is the main archaeological site in Guatemala and one of its biggest tourist attractions. Last October, an American doctoral student discovered a sprawling Maya city within a dense jungle in Mexico. Scientists and archaeologists have discovered ancient Mayan ruins by shooting lasers down from a plane to penetrate the dense jungle. E.l.f. Beauty calls Hailey Bieber an industry disruptor amid Rhode sale These 3 record breakers have one thing in common Reporter's Notebook: John Dickerson reflects on his spelling woes
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex discovered, featuring pyramids and canals
Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex in Guatemala, revealing sanctuaries, pyramids and a unique canal system that could shed further light on the ancient civilization, the country's culture minister said Thursday. The complex was discovered across three sites — Los Abuelos, Petnal and Cambrayal — near the significant Mayan site of Uaxactún in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, the ministry said in a statement. The Mayan civilization arose around 2,000 BC and reached its height between 400 and 900 AD, predominantly in modern-day Mexico and Guatemala. During its height, people built temples, roads, pyramids and other monuments, and developed complex systems of writing, mathematics and astronomy. Los Abuelos, which means 'The Grandparents' in Spanish, lies around 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Uaxactún and gets its name from two human-like rock figures found at the site, believed to represent an 'ancestral couple,' the ministry said. These figures, along with several sacred sanctuaries, suggest it was an important site for Mayan rituals, said Luis Rodrigo Carrillo, Guatemala's vice minister of culture and sports, in a press briefing announcing the findings. 'Located here is one of the most important ritual centers in the region, with notable sanctuaries, helping to reassess our understanding of Mayan history,' the ministry said in a video announcing the discovery. East of Los Abuelos lies Petnal, which features a 33-meter-high (108-foot) pyramid. At its peak are two preserved rooms adorned with murals depicting various symbolic representations, Carrillo said. In Cambrayal, around three miles (4.8 kilometers) from Los Abuelos, scientists also identified 'unique' water canals inside a palace, marking a notable discovery, the ministry said. 'These sites form a previously unknown urban triangle whose existence we were unaware of until now… These new archeological discoveries constitute a testament of Mayan culture's greatness, which today we are making known to the whole world,' the ministry said. The discoveries were made by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists, alongside international experts, as part of the Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project (PARU) and with backing from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, officials said. While rare, discoveries of new Mayan sites still occasionally happen, thanks to new research and technological improvements. In April, archaeologists uncovered a mysterious 1,700-year-old altar containing human remains in the nearby ancient city of Tikal, approximately 23 kilometers (14 miles) south of Uaxactún. Although discovered in a ruined Mayan city, archaeologists believe it wasn't decorated by Mayans, but was instead the work of artists trained hundreds of miles away in Teotihuacan. Scientists in recent years have also detected new sites using laser mapping technology, revealing the interconnectivity of Mayan cities, towns and villages.
