Three new monumental
archeological sites are set to open in the Mexican state of Quintana
Roo along with the start of the Tren Maya railway (Maya
Train).
According to the Riviera Maya News, General Director of the National Institute of Anthropology
and History (INAH), Diego Prieto Hernández says that Kohunlich in Quintana Roo
will increase its influx with the start of these operations. Additional areas
are part of the Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza)
developed by the federal Ministry of Culture, through (INAH).
During restoration work, the site of Kohunlich was
preserved. This 14-square-kilometer settlement made up of housing units and
civic-ceremonial architectural complexes is surrounded by fertile lands used
for cultivation.
According to Hernández, Kohunlich’s occupation dates back to
the Late Preclassic period (300 BC-250 AD), but its early constructions were
covered by monumental buildings in the Early Classic period (200-600 AD).
Kohunlich reached its maximum population between 600 and 900
AD, and during that timeframe, most of the structures were constructed. These
include the Plaza de las Estelas, the Vias and Noroeste complexes and the late
constructions of the Pixa’an and the 27 Steps, residences of the elite.
During this period, the Temple of the Masks was erected, adorned
with eight figures representing royal characters dressed in sun-related
attributes. The masks were molded in polychrome stucco with red and black
colors on masonry frameworks, though only five remain.
The imposing ancestral faces are protected by Promeza from
the effects of weathering with meticulous research through the use of advanced
technological tools to better understand the factors causing their
deterioration and define the criteria and mechanisms for their conservation.
Compared to other Mayan archaeological areas, the site was
late to be investigated, its study beginning in the last decade of the 20th
century with the intervention of a group of specialists, headed by renowned
archaeologist Enrique Nalda.
In addition to conservation and restoration work, Promeza is
working on the creation of 1,359 linear meters of interpretive trails with 153
explanatory plaques along with the opening of three new monumental areas for public
visits.
The head of the INAH maintained that Kohunlich is a notable
example of the actions carried out through Promeza in 29 archaeological zones
in the region, “promoting a better understanding and enjoyment of the beauties
and testimonies of these seductive Mayan cities.”
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