They work on a three-dimensional model of ancient Maya pyramids in Tekal de Venegas
MÉRIDA, Yucatan, (December 09, 2021).- The municipality of Tekal de Venegas in Yucatán could soon have a new tourist attraction: the archaeological zone of X’baatún; which began to be investigated in 2018 and now, in 2021, rescue work has been resumed.
A group of Spanish and Mexican archaeologists is working on the rescue of X’baatún, an ancient walled Maya city, which contains important remains, such as a pyramid more than 15 meters high and 50 meters long, as well as a ball court.
The archaeological site is located in the Oxwatz ecotourism park, in Tekal de Venegas (a municipality that borders Izamal) and was discovered in the 1990s, but was investigated by specialists until 2018.
Rescue work of X’baatún resumed
These days, archaeologists from Spain and Mexico are in X’baatún, to begin another annual work season that in 2020 was suspended by the coronavirus.
“The objectives of this 2021 is to give continuity to the work to better understand the 22 buildings on the site, use new technologies to mark those that are around the main pyramid, carry out tours to mark axes, locate each new structure and geolocate them with GPS” Spanish archaeologist Juan García Targa, one of those in charge of the project, informed Efe.
New technologies for X’baatún research
The expert from the University of Barcelona commented that this Thursday, December 9, two archaeologists from Spain will arrive to apply new technologies in the investigation of X’baatún.
“They will bring special equipment and drones to apply photogrammetry (called Aerial Insights) to document buildings from above through photographs,” explained García Targa.
Photogrammetry is a technique for obtaining flat maps and three-dimensional models through aerial photography.
“With photogrammetry we will have more realistic information on the 22 buildings,” explained the archaeologist, who is co-director of the X’baatún project, sharing credits with the Spanish archaeologist Carmen Varela Torrecilla, who this year could not reach Mexico.
Structure cleaning
For his part, archaeologist Geiser Gerardo Martín, a graduate of the Autonomous University of Yucatán, told that some structures are in the cleaning stage, to later carry out “photogrammetric surveys.”
He also revealed that they will work in four initial quadrants to make a very specific review of the different sections of these Mayan ruins in which there is still much to explore.
The specialists work with permission from the Mexican Council of Archeology of the National Institute of Archeology and History (INAH).
Source: Sipse
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