Riviera Maya, Q.R. — An “impressive” archaeological site with more than 300 buildings has been discovered along section 5 south of the Maya Train route. With this new discovery, the general director of INAH says that engineering adjustments to the Playa del Carmen – Tulum route are being made.
In a Thursday press conference, Diego Prieto Hernández, the director of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia (INAH), reported on the recent discovery.
He says archaeologists have found more than 300 buildings, some of which are more than eight meters in height. He said that the area, which they have named Paamul 2, will be preserved as an ecological and archaeological corridor.
The head of INAH explained that engineering adjustments are being made in section 5 south in order to protect the Paamul 2 archaeological site. “It has more than 300 buildings, some with heights of more than eight meters and it will be protected, it will be reserved as an ecological and archaeological corridor,” he said.
He also reported that along the Cancun to Tulum section, the presence of flooded caves and cenotes have required an underwater archeology team to take over, which will be responsible for recovering the paleontological and archaeological materials found.
“The underwater archeology rescue team is already active to recover very valuable material and, in addition, help to ensure the safety of the work in this section that involves sensitive engineering issues. (…) Work is being done in caverns, flooded caves, cenotes and information is being recorded,” he said.
In section 5 north around Cancun, Prieto Hernández reported that a little more than 180 structures will be excavated and registered.
“We will proceed with the excavation of just over 180 structures that we have to register and recover. We are also diagnosing the archaeological information that sections 6 and 7 will offer us,” he reported.