The ancient tomb may belong to the Maya people who once lived in the region.
According to Heritage Daily, archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have unearthed an ancient Maya tomb during the construction of a hotel named Tren Maya in the ancient city of Palenque.
Palenque is a site designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1980s.
The ancient tomb discovered on the outskirts of the ancient Maya city of Palenque – (Photo INAH).
The prosperous period of this Maya city lasted from 226 BC to 799 AD, a time that left behind countless pyramids and spectacular buildings that still endure today.
From the 8th century AD, the population began to decline, and the city was eventually abandoned. Records from 1520 by the Spanish during their conquest of the area indicate that the region still had sparse inhabitants.
Part of the ruins of the ancient city of Palenque – (Photo: UNESCO World Heritage Centre).
Today, Palenque has become a popular tourist destination. The Tren Maya hotel is being constructed at a site that previously had no buildings, on the outskirts of the ancient city.
However, during the excavation for the foundation, a ceremonial space paved with stones, sealed with limestone slabs and at a depth of 4 meters, was discovered.
The remains in this ancient Maya tomb have been determined to belong to an individual of high status, possibly from a small settlement in the surrounding area.
Mr. Diego Prieto Hernandez, a representative of INAH, stated that the individual was found lying on their back, with legs extended straight, head facing north, alongside pottery and beads, which are remnants of burial goods.
This hotel construction is a supplementary project within the Maya Train Project, a railway line that traverses the famous sites of this empire in Mexico. Phase 1 of the railway will pass through Palenque, Moral-Reforma, and El Tigre, all of which are well-known tourist attractions.
