Beekeeping has been a deeply rooted practice in the daily life of the Mayan population of the Yucatán Peninsula since pre-Hispanic times, as evidenced by various codices, such as the Madrid or the Tro-Cortesian, as well as some chronicles of the Indies, which mention that the ancient indigenous people used honey both as food, an object of barter, and in ceremonies.
As part of the archaeological salvage work on Section 6 of the Maya Train, which spans from Tulum to Chetumal, a team of specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), under the coordination of archaeologist Raquel Liliana Hernández Estrada, recovered three jobón lids in Front 5, which includes the municipalities of Bacalar and Felipe Carrillo Puerto, in Quintana Roo, a region culturally known as Los Lagos.
These archaeological materials are mainly associated with the northern part of the state, according to various studies conducted by INAH archaeologists such as Luis Alberto Martos López, Manuel Eduardo Pérez Rivas, and María Flores Hernández. However, this discovery, according to researcher Hernández Estrada, supports the observations of chroniclers like Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, who documented the presence of meliponiculture in the territories that today constitute the south of Quintana Roo, suggesting that this Mayan practice extended to that area.
Carlos Fidel Martínez Sánchez, another archaeologist on the team, explained that the lids, colloquially known as panuchos, are round and were made from limestone, measuring between 20 and 25 centimeters, and are believed to date from the Postclassic period (950-1539 AD). Of the three recovered lids, only one is in good condition, while the other two show a high degree of erosion.
The discovery was made during the excavation of what was initially thought to be an albarrada in the area known as Estación. However, upon finding the lids, the hypothesis changed, determining that they were the remains of a meliponary. This structure owes its name to the native species Melipona beecheii, known in Mayan as xunán kab, an identity element of the peninsular population.
In addition to the jobón lids, other utilitarian archaeological materials were found at the site, including ceramic, lithic, and flint artifacts, among which a bowl decorated in red and orange tones, a limestone metate hand measuring 40 centimeters long, a 50-centimeter-long metate, an axe, a percussor, and a star-shaped shell bead stand out.
Archaeologist Hernández Estrada noted that Front 5 represents the testimony of the common life of people who did not belong to the elite, suggesting that these are housing complexes of peripheral cities to ceremonial precincts such as the Chacchoben Archaeological Zone and the Los Limones site. To date, 261 monuments corresponding to remains of housing areas have been counted, mainly near the localities of Sabanitas and Estación, which are being analyzed in the laboratories.
In Sabanitas, the registered monuments include foundations, albarradas, and some small bases, while in the Estación area, foundations and smaller bases, deteriorated by human activity, were also found.
The federal Ministry of Culture, through INAH, continues with the research and preservation of national heritage within the framework of the Maya Train project, led by the head of the archaeological salvage, Manuel Eduardo Pérez Rivas.
- Share this article:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Byzantine Emperor Basil II Ordered the Blinding of Thousands of Prisoners Taken at the Battle of Kleidion
In an era long before any concept of dignified treatment for defeated enemies, during a time when losing on the battlefield often opened the door to the most bloodthirsty barbarities,…
Biagio da Cesena, the Cardinal Caricatured by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel for Criticizing Nudity in His Paintings
There are historical figures who have gone down in history more for some inconsequential anecdote than for the significance they had in the context in which they lived. This is…
The Exceptional Roman Villa “Grotte di Catullo” on the Shores of Lake Garda is One of the Northernmost in Italy
Located at the northern tip of the Sirmione peninsula, on the shores of majestic Lake Garda in Italy, the ruins of the Roman villa known as Grotte di Catullo represent…
The Oldest Alliances in the World: Portugal-England and Scotland-France
Although geostrategic interests change throughout history, for many centuries, some alliances have defied the passage of time, remaining stable and renewing themselves as if they were unaffected by changing circumstances.…
Operation Argus: The U.S. Project to Create a Radiation Belt in Space to Prevent a Soviet Missile Attack
In 1958, at the height of the Cold War, the U.S. carried out an experiment in the South Atlantic aimed at testing an innovative defense system. This system involved creating…
Vercellae, the battle that led to the demise of Teutons and Cimbri peoples
In the year 105 BC, while Gaius Marius was awaiting a triumph for crushing the rebellion of the Numidian Jugurtha and hoping his contested candidacy for another consulship would be…
The entire Maya city of Ucanal and its inhabitants were contaminated with mercury
A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports has revealed mercury contamination in the ancient water reservoirs of the Maya city of Ucanal, located in Petén, Guatemala.…
Neolithic Silos and 60 Elongated Structures of Unknown Function Found in Northeastern France
Located in northeastern France, in the Alsace region, the Pfulgriesheim site has been the subject of extensive archaeological research prior to being developed for a new urban area. This excavation,…
Archaeologists Are Not Finding Late Roman and Anglo-Saxon Burials from the 5th Century in England – Where Are the Bodies?
A recent archaeological study explores an enigmatic question about the “missing” dead of the 5th century in Britain. A team of researchers, led by Emma Brownlee of the University of…
The Urban Layout, Buildings and Baths Uncovered in the Ancient Vacceo-Roman City of Saldania in Spain
Recent archaeological investigations, led by experts from the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM), have brought to light the remains of an ancient Vacceo-Roman city, hidden underground for more than…
Unknown Submerged Monumental Structures along with Shipwrecks and a Roman Altar, Found in the Grado Lagoon in Italy
Seven archaeological sites in the waters of the Grado lagoon (in the Italian province of Gorizia, bordering Slovenia), including shipwreck remains, a Roman-era funerary altar, and submerged monumental structures, have…
The Wall of the Ancient Greek City of Epetion and Bronze Age Structures Discovered in the Urban Center of Stobreč in Croatia
During an official visit to the town of Stobreč, near Split, Croatia’s Minister of Culture and Media, Dr. Nina Obuljen Koržinek, along with State Secretary Krešimir Partl, participated in the…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
