Thanks to the federal government’s Archaeological Zones Improvement Program (Promeza), in Yucatan it has been possible to advance with the study of the polygon known as “Initial Series” or “Chichén Viejo”, located in the surroundings of the archaeological zone of Chichen Itza.
The archaeologist in charge of the coordination of the Promeza research program for the archaeological zone of Chichén Itzá, José Antonio Osorio León, commented that this will allow to give continuity to works carried out for more than 25 years in the residential areas of the settlement.
He indicated that since last November 1st they began to work in the excavations that were carried out during the past years, in groups of pyramids isolated in the surroundings of the current archaeological zone, some of which are located 12 kilometers away from Kukulkan Castle.
“It not only includes excavation of structures, but also registers of accumulated ceramic materials, archaeological elements, topographic surveys and the integration of the dispersed plans to understand the fundamental aspects in terms of extension, chronology and architecture”, expressed the specialist about the purposes of Promeza.
He explained that the investigations in this series of Chichén Itzá began at the end of the last century, but the lack of economic flow has not allowed a notorious advance in a city that at its time covered 15 square kilometers.
Osorio León commented that what is currently known to the general public is only a small part of what once occupied the entire city, which was destined for civic and religious ceremonies.
But within the jungle that surrounds what is already known, there are still more than 40 isolated nuclei, which are constituted by leveled extensions, sacbes, palaces and pyramids similar to the well-known “Castillo de Chichén Itzá“, which were inhabited from the Late Classic period until the 1200’s, when the exodus of the city began.
“Chichén was the pre-Hispanic site that controlled the entire north of the Yucatán peninsula and its influence goes beyond the known borders, so the importance of the site is such that we can consider it as one of the most important sites in Mesoamerica,” said the researcher.
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