Excavations at Aguada Fenix Reveal Early Maya Monument

Excavations at Aguada Fenix in southeastern Mexico have unveiled a monumental structure dating back over 3,000 years, featuring a unique cruciform design. According to a report from Archaeology Magazine, this site includes a smaller cruciform pit located within a larger one, highlighting the advanced architectural capabilities of the early Maya civilization.

Researchers, led by Takeshi Inomata from the University of Arizona, discovered jade artifacts arranged in the shape of a cross at the bottom of this smaller pit, along with pigments thought to symbolize the four cardinal directions.

Blue pigment is associated with the north, green with the east, yellow with the south, and a red shell may represent the west. Inomata remarked that this arrangement reflects the Maya's cosmological beliefs, suggesting that they viewed the universe as organized according to this cruciform pattern, which was also tied to their understanding of time.

The east-west axis of the platform aligns precisely with the sunrise on October 17 and February 24, a significant interval of 130 days that corresponds to half of their 260-day ritual calendar. This monumental structure likely required the effort of more than 1,000 individuals who converged at the site for several months each year over multiple years.

Inomata also posited that the Maya might have continued to gather at Aguada Fenix for worship during the dry season. The findings at Aguada Fenix not only shed light on early Maya monumental architecture but also enhance our understanding of their cultural practices and societal organization.

To read more about these discoveries, refer to the original research published in Science Advances and see the feature on Aguada Fenix as one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2020.