Discovery of the K'oxol Dja' II Settlement
Archaeologists have discovered and preserved a previously unknown Maya settlement, K'oxol Dja' II, in Yucatán during rescue excavations at the multimodal terminal of Progreso as part of the "Maya Train" project. This settlement, dating from approximately 400 BC to 900 AD, consists of 21 structures and covers an area of about 2,257 square meters. The National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH) has established a protection zone around this important archaeological site.
The K'oxol Dja' II settlement turned out to be predominantly residential. Ceramic data indicates that the periods of occupation encompass both the regional pre-classic and late classic periods. An important element of the discovered settlement is the main cenote where archaeologists found remnants of a constructed well that altered its entrance. The name of the settlement derives from the Maya words k'oxol (mosquito) and ja' (water), which translates to "water of mosquitoes" or "water where mosquitoes grow."
Importance of K'oxol Dja' II
Researchers believe that K'oxol Dja' II may have had an intermediary significance, with its governing center potentially being El-Chíjk, located northwest of the settlement. During the excavations, relatively little pottery was found, as well as only two offerings interpreted as foundation consecrations.
“INAH's work has allowed us to find and study a previously unknown settlement, as well as preserve its 21 structures at the site where they were discovered” — Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Minister of Culture of Mexico.
Fieldwork at K'oxol Dja' II has been completed, and laboratory analysis of ceramics, stone artifacts, sedimentary materials, and other items is ongoing. After the excavations, archaeologists cleaned 21 monuments of the settlement, restored wall sections, and set up protective enclosures. INAH, in collaboration with the Mexican Ministry of National Defense, has agreed to establish a conservation zone around this important archaeological site. At the same time, it is worth noting that the Maya city of Minanbe was previously discovered in the Calakmul biosphere reserve in Campeche, resulting from three decades of archaeological research in the Central Maya lowlands.
The discovery of the K'oxol Dja' II settlement is an important contribution to the study of Maya culture, as it provides new data about their way of life and social organization. The preservation of archaeological sites in the natural environment also underscores the importance of collaboration among various governmental institutions for the conservation of Mexico's cultural heritage. Such findings help researchers recreate the picture of life in ancient civilizations and their relationships with their environment.