(ORDO NEWS) — The ruins of an ancient Mayan city with palaces, pyramids and plazas have been unearthed at a construction site near Merida in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
It is believed that in the period from the VI to the IX centuries. AD about 4 thousand people lived here. The city is known to scientists as “Xiol”, which in the Mayan language means “Spirit of Man”. The Daily Mail portal tells about the find of archaeologists.
Architecturally, the city has features of the Puuc Mayan style, which was popular in the south of the Yucatan but rarely seen near Merida, scientists say.
Nearby, the researchers found burials of adults and children who were buried with obsidian and flint tools, ritual offerings and other grave goods. Tools that were used to build the city were also found here.
“People from different social strata were buried there: priests, scribes who lived in these huge palaces, as well as ordinary people who lived in small buildings.
We found about 15 graves, many of them belong to adult men and women, although there are also children, ”says one of the archaeologists who led the excavations of the city, Carlos Peras.
Archaeologists learned about the existence of Xiol in the 1980s, but survey work began only three years ago, and the first buildings were discovered at the end of last season.
So far, scientists have been able to excavate and identify 12 structures, including palaces, houses, workshops and a large public square that contained a small pyramid used in religious ceremonies.
Experts also found a natural well about five meters deep, which was probably used for ritual offerings to Mayan gods.
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