Mexico: Ancient Maya tomb discovered during tourist rail project

As per the latest development, Mexican archaeologists have uncovered richly adorned human remains in a grave that could potentially be more than 1,000 years old. This discovery occurred in an area where construction for a significant tourist railway project was nearing completion, according to the country's national antiquities institute INAH.

This finding took place during ongoing archaeological salvage work, which coincided with the construction of a multibillion-dollar tourist railway project in southern Mexico. This project is primarily aimed at attracting tourists to the numerous ancient Maya sites in southern Mexico, as well as the nearby popular beach resorts like Cancun and Tulum.
Read more: World’s most beautiful tourism villages for your travel wishlist

Known as the Maya Train, this railway project holds top priority in terms of economic development for President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. It has allocated substantial funding to teams of archaeologists who are diligently conducting excavations to ensure construction progress is not hindered. In contrast, archaeological projects in other regions of the country have faced budget cuts.

The most recent discovery occurred during the construction of a hotel near the significant Maya ruins of Palenque in Chiapas state. Palenque was once home to one of the largest and most advanced urban centers of the ancient Maya civilization. The skeletal remains were found approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the city's core, which houses imposing temples and an extensive palace complex. It is likely that these remains belong to an elite resident of the city, known in the ancient Maya culture as Lakamha. Within the stone box, the archaeologists also uncovered three ceramic vessels, ear flares, and a pair of greenstone beads. INAH noted that the individual was buried facing upward, with the head oriented northward. Further tests will be required to ascertain the individual's precise age and other characteristics.

Read more: Zealandia, Earth’s hidden 8th continent, is no longer lost!
Scholars attribute significant human achievements in art, architecture, astronomy, and writing to the ancient Maya civilization. Palenque, along with numerous other ancient cities scattered across southern Mexico and parts of Central America, flourished between approximately 300 and 900 AD.