During the archaeological rescue efforts led by the federal Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), nine patolli engravings were discovered along Section 7 of the Maya Train.
These patollis, which are an ancient Mesoamerican game, were found on the free road to Chetumal, in a structure identified as T7-44279, near the town of Xpujil in Campeche. It is estimated that these findings are over 1,000 years old.
Felix Camacho Zamora, coordinator of the Conservation Area of the Maya Train Archaeological Salvage Project, explained that the patollis were found in a rather deteriorated state of preservation. Section 7 of the Maya Train, which spans 287 kilometers between Quintana Roo and Campeche, revealed these findings on a stucco surface measuring 11.3 meters long by 2.8 meters wide.
The engravings showed significant damage, such as cracks, fractures, layer loss, disintegration, and abrasion, which required immediate conservation attention.
To preserve these archaeological assets, emergency measures were implemented, such as limewater injections to stabilize the stucco, and the application of patching and perimeter trims. This restoration process began on August 23, 2023, and it was necessary to perform a detailed graphic, photographic, and photogrammetric record before proceeding with the extraction of the patollis.
Subsequently, fissures and cracks were patched, and a protective veil and packaging were applied for transport to the Restoration Laboratory in Chetumal.
The patollis, whose name comes from the Nahuatl word patolli, meaning beans, are related to deities, offerings, religious rites, and calendrical events, according to documentary sources. This Mesoamerican game consisted of lines engraved on the ground that served as game boards, using beans as dice.
The patollis were not only a pastime but also had an important ritual component in the social and religious life of Mesoamerican cultures.
Fernando Alemán Toscano, in charge of the Restoration Laboratory of Section 3 of the Maya Train in Mérida, mentioned that these findings reflect the cultural and spiritual complexity of the societies that inhabited this region. The presence of these games in civic spaces suggests that they may have been used by high-ranking individuals as a means of recreation or mediation in political matters.
The graphic record made by experts showed that there are different styles of patollis: two circular, four square, and others with diffuse lines, making identification difficult. This diversity in patolli styles reflects the different construction phases and uses that the structure where they were found might have had.
According to archaeologist Alfredo Saucedo Zavala, who was in charge of the excavation, the ceremonial complex had at least two construction stages. It is estimated that the patollis were made during the Late Classic period (600-900 AD), although future ceramic analyses are expected to corroborate this hypothesis.
Currently, the rescued patollis are being cared for in a laboratory in Chetumal, where stabilization processes are being carried out to ensure their long-term conservation. Until their final destination is determined, these archaeological assets will remain safeguarded in the laboratory.
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