Maya settlements discovered in Guatemala and Mexico

Archaeologists have identified significant Maya settlements in Guatemala and Mexico, providing new insights into early Mesoamerican urban life and domestic communities.

In Guatemala’s Petén department, the Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project (PARU) discovered three interconnected urban centers: Los Abuelos, Petnal, and Cambrayal. Located approximately five kilometers apart in a triangular formation, these sites contain pyramids, ceremonial complexes, stone monuments, and hydraulic systems dating primarily to the Preclassic period. The findings were presented by the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sports.

In Yucatán, Mexico, archaeological salvage work related to the Maya Cargo Train led to the discovery of K’oxol Ja’ II, a settlement covering 2,257 square meters. Unlike major ceremonial centers, this site offers evidence of daily life, including residential dwellings, offerings, and water management structures such as a cenote with a constructed rim. According to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the site was occupied from the regional Preclassic through the Late Classic periods.