Latest news with #pre-Hispanic
Euronews
12-07-2025
- Science
- Euronews
Peru opens to public ancient city lost for more than 3,800 years
The site of Caral, one of Peru's most important archaeological areas, has a new jewel in its crown after eight years of excavations, intense research and conservation work. It is called Peñico, and experts consider it to be a "city of social integration" because of its strategic location, which connected the populations of the Supe and Huaura valleys, but also because of the large number of homes, public buildings and ceremonial spaces it housed. On Saturday 12 July, the Caral Archaeological Zone will organise the first Peñico Raymi, a replica of a traditional Andean festival, to inaugurate the new archaeological site. Although the Caral culture developed mainly between 3000 and 1800 BC (which, given its antiquity, places it in a society with a development and chronology comparable to Ancient Egypt), it's understood the city of Peñico began to develop a little later, around 1800 and 1500 BC. The Caral are considered the oldest of the pre-Hispanic civilisations in the Americans, which went into steep decline around 1800 BC. It is possible that the prestige achieved by Peñico society in the valley, coupled with its role as a hub in the exchange network, was linked to the extraction and circulation of hematite. This mineral, used to make a red pigment, had great symbolic importance within Andean cosmology. Among the 18 constructions discovered during the excavations and now on display to the public, a ceremonial hall stands out: "We don't know its exact limits," explained Mauro Ordóñez, head of the Penico archaeological site. "This building continues to extend from east to west. The most interesting thing is the composition of several antechambers: one of them stands out for having on its sides the representation, in friezes, of pututus". Pututus are objects also known as churus (the Quechua word for a mollusc, shell or snail). They are wind instruments originally made from a seashell that was large enough to emit a powerful sound. Ordóñez considers this to be evidence of close relations with other pre-Columbian groups in northern Peru. The sacred city of Caral-Supe, located less than 200 kilometres north of Lima, the Peruvian capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Peñico, in particular, was built 600 metres above sea level on a geological terrace parallel to the Supe River and surrounded by hills that reach a height of 1,000 metres. Its Caralan builders chose this strategic location for multiple purposes: to enhance the monumentality of their buildings, to protect themselves from floods or landslides and, as evidenced by findings such as the representation of musical instruments, and to promote interaction and exchangewith other civilisations.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Mexican fishermen join fight to save extraordinary amphibian
SAN JERONIMO PURENCHECUARO: After decades working as a fisherman on a high-altitude Mexican lake, Froylan Correa is now helping to save an endangered amphibian with gills resembling a lion's mane and a remarkable regenerative ability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The achoque , also known as the Lake Patzcuaro salamander, is a lesser known relative of the axolotl, the small friendly- faced amphibian battling extinction in Mexico City. Overfishing, pollution and reduced water levels in Lake Patzcuaro, its only natural habitat, mean that the achoque is listed as critically endangered by the International union for conservation of nature. In an attempt to prevent it disappearing, biologists from Michoacana university decided to pay the local Indigenous community of San Jeronimo Purenchecuaro to help the achoque to reproduce. Correa, who knows the lake in the western state of Michoacan like the back of his hand, has a new job as an amphibian egg collector. Now in his 60s, he remembers when the waters teemed with fish and there was no need to worry for the salamander. "There used to be a lot of achoques," he told AFP. "Now the new generation doesn't know about it." From lab to lake After the eggs are collected, biologist Rodolfo Perez takes them to his laboratory at Michoacana University to hatch, in the hope of giving the achoques a better chance of surviving. After the hatchlings have grown enough, they are moved to the community's achoque protection reserve, where the fishermen care for them until they are ready to be released into the lake, said Israel Correa, a relative of Froylan Correa. The achoque belongs to the Ambystoma group, keenly studied by scientists for an extraordinary ability to regenerate mutilated limbs and parts of organs such as the brain and heart. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now If one loses a tail, it quickly grows another. That has made the salamanders a subject of fascination for scientists hoping to learn lessons that could apply to humans. Since pre-Hispanic times, the achoque has been a source of food as well as a remedy used by Indigenous people for respiratory illnesses. Its skin colour allows it to blend into its natural habitat. According to a local legend, the achoque was first an evil god who hid in the lake mud to escape the punishment of other deities. Perez is trying to hatch as many eggs as possible with the help of the locals to prevent its extinction. "It's been a lot of work," he said, adding that the biggest challenge is finding money to compensate the fishermen, since the achoques require constant care. Collaboration between scientists and the local community has helped to stabilize the achoque population, according to the researchers. There are an estimated 80 to 100 individuals who live in a small part of the lake, said Luis Escalera, another biologist at Michoacana university. The number, however, is "much lower than it was 40 years ago," he said. For the fishermen fighting to save them, it is a labor of love. "We can't miss a day without coming because otherwise they'll die," Israel Correa said at the achoque protection reserve on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro. "Come rain or shine, even if there's a festival, we have to be here."
Bangkok Post
10-07-2025
- Science
- Bangkok Post
Mexican fishermen join fight to save extraordinary amphibian
SAN JERóNIMO PURENCHECUARO — After decades working as a fisherman on a high-altitude Mexican lake, Froylan Correa is now helping to save an endangered amphibian with gills resembling a lion's mane and a remarkable regenerative ability. The achoque, also known as the Lake Patzcuaro salamander, is a lesser known relative of the axolotl, the small friendly- faced amphibian battling extinction in Mexico City. Overfishing, pollution and reduced water levels in Lake Patzcuaro, its only natural habitat, mean that the achoque is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In an attempt to prevent it disappearing, biologists from Michoacana University decided to pay the local Indigenous community of San Jeronimo Purenchecuaro to help the achoque to reproduce. Correa, who knows the lake in the western state of Michoacan like the back of his hand, has a new job as an amphibian egg collector. Now in his 60s, he remembers when the waters teemed with fish and there was no need to worry for the salamander. "There used to be a lot of achoques," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Now the new generation doesn't know about it." From lab to lake After the eggs are collected, biologist Rodolfo Perez takes them to his laboratory at Michoacana University to hatch, in the hope of giving the achoques a better chance of surviving. After the hatchlings have grown enough, they are moved to the community's achoque protection reserve, where the fishermen care for them until they are ready to be released into the lake, said Israel Correa, a relative of Froylan Correa. The achoque belongs to the Ambystoma group, keenly studied by scientists for an extraordinary ability to regenerate mutilated limbs and parts of organs such as the brain and heart. If one loses a tail, it quickly grows another. That has made the salamanders a subject of fascination for scientists hoping to learn lessons that could apply to humans. Since pre-Hispanic times, the achoque has been a source of food as well as a remedy used by Indigenous people for respiratory illnesses. Its skin color allows it to blend into its natural habitat. According to a local legend, the achoque was first an evil god who hid in the lake mud to escape the punishment of other deities. Perez is trying to hatch as many eggs as possible with the help of the locals to prevent its extinction. "It's been a lot of work," he said, adding that the biggest challenge is finding money to compensate the fishermen, since the achoques require constant care. Collaboration between scientists and the local community has helped to stabilize the achoque population, according to the researchers. There are an estimated 80 to 100 individuals who live in a small part of the lake, said Luis Escalera, another biologist at Michoacana University. The number, however, is "much lower than it was 40 years ago," he said. For the fishermen fighting to save them, it is a labor of love. "We can't miss a day without coming because otherwise they'll die," Israel Correa said at the achoque protection reserve on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro.
Int'l Business Times
10-07-2025
- Science
- Int'l Business Times
Mexican Fishermen Join Fight To Save Extraordinary Amphibian
After decades working as a fisherman on a high-altitude Mexican lake, Froylan Correa is now helping to save an endangered amphibian with gills resembling a lion's mane and a remarkable regenerative ability. The achoque, also known as the Lake Patzcuaro salamander, is a lesser known relative of the axolotl, the small friendly- faced amphibian battling extinction in Mexico City. Overfishing, pollution and reduced water levels in Lake Patzcuaro, its only natural habitat, mean that the achoque is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In an attempt to prevent it disappearing, biologists from Michoacana University decided to pay the local Indigenous community of San Jeronimo Purenchecuaro to help the achoque to reproduce. Correa, who knows the lake in the western state of Michoacan like the back of his hand, has a new job as an amphibian egg collector. Now in his 60s, he remembers when the waters teemed with fish and there was no need to worry for the salamander. "There used to be a lot of achoques," he told AFP. "Now the new generation doesn't know about it." After the eggs are collected, biologist Rodolfo Perez takes them to his laboratory at Michoacana University to hatch, in the hope of giving the achoques a better chance of surviving. After the hatchlings have grown enough, they are moved to the community's achoque protection reserve, where the fishermen care for them until they are ready to be released into the lake, said Israel Correa, a relative of Froylan Correa. The achoque belongs to the Ambystoma group, keenly studied by scientists for an extraordinary ability to regenerate mutilated limbs and parts of organs such as the brain and heart. If one loses a tail, it quickly grows another. That has made the salamanders a subject of fascination for scientists hoping to learn lessons that could apply to humans. Since pre-Hispanic times, the achoque has been a source of food as well as a remedy used by Indigenous people for respiratory illnesses. Its skin color allows it to blend into its natural habitat. According to a local legend, the achoque was first an evil god who hid in the lake mud to escape the punishment of other deities. Perez is trying to hatch as many eggs as possible with the help of the locals to prevent its extinction. "It's been a lot of work," he said, adding that the biggest challenge is finding money to compensate the fishermen, since the achoques require constant care. Collaboration between scientists and the local community has helped to stabilize the achoque population, according to the researchers. There are an estimated 80 to 100 individuals who live in a small part of the lake, said Luis Escalera, another biologist at Michoacana University. The number, however, is "much lower than it was 40 years ago," he said. For the fishermen fighting to save them, it is a labor of love. "We can't miss a day without coming because otherwise they'll die," Israel Correa said at the achoque protection reserve on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro. "Come rain or shine, even if there's a festival, we have to be here." The achoque is known for its gills resembling a lion's mane and for its ability to regenerate body parts AFP The salamanders are a subject of fascination for scientists hoping to learn lessons that could apply to humans AFP The fishermen care for the achoques until they are ready to be released into the wild AFP
Arab Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Mexico Invites You to Discover the Guelaguetza 2025 in Oaxaca
KUWAIT CITY, July 5: The Embassy of Mexico in Kuwait is pleased to highlight one of Mexico's most cherished cultural celebrations: the Guelaguetza, taking place on July 21 and 28, 2025, in the city of Oaxaca. This annual event is a unique expression of Indigenous identity, where communities from across the region gather to share their traditional dances, music, clothing, and food in a spirit of generosity and unity. Rooted in pre-Hispanic traditions, the Guelaguetza — a Zapotec word meaning 'reciprocal offering' — transforms Oaxaca into a stage for cultural pride. The festival takes place at the Auditorio Guelaguetza, a scenic open-air venue on a hillside, where visitors witness colorful performances representing the diverse cultures of southern Mexico. Oaxaca's streets also come alive with parades, artisanal markets, and regional cuisine. Special events, such as theatrical performances and food fairs, offer travelers an immersive experience of Mexico's deep-rooted traditions and welcoming hospitality. The Embassy of Mexico invites everyone to discover the Guelaguetza — a celebration that offers not only unforgettable performances, but also a deep connection to community, culture, and the beauty of shared traditions.
