New Mayan gods found during the excavations of the Mayan Train

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The Mayan deities, carved on a commemorative stele, were located in the archaeological zone of Uxmal.

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History found a dual stela with the image of two deities during the excavations of the Mayan Train, informed Diego Prieto, director general of INAH.

The official presented images of the deities during the morning conference this Thursday, October 20. It is a commemorative stele, with bas-relief on both sides and located in situ; that is, in the place where it was originally placed.

“It is a dual-character commemorative stela that was found in the sunken patio of the archaeological zone of Uxmal in Yucatan. The find was made by the prominent Mayan archaeologist José Huchim Herrera and his technical team,” said Diego Prieto.

“We are very pleased because it is not often to find these types of contrails in situ,” he added

How are the Mayan gods found?

The stele consists of a dual element carved on both sides. On the north side –where it was facing– it shows a female deity with the following characteristics:

  • Large eyes.
  • Barbels at the corners of the mouth.
  • Bare chest.
  • Pectoral with three rows of hemispherical pearls.
  • Bracelets decorated with pearls.
  • Mesh skirt that covers up to the heels.
  • He holds a quetzal in his left hand.

It is thought that this deity may be linked with death. While the male deity has:

  • Large wide-brimmed hat, adorned with feathers and an owl’s head.
  • Back with reticulated layer.
  • They hold a cane in their left hand and a bundle in their right hand.
  • Bracelet and loincloth.
  • bandaged legs

The stela contains frequent representations of the Puuc and Chenes cultural regions, in the south of the state and the Yucatan peninsula, an example of which is the probable association that the eyes of the female deity would have with death.

The director of the INAH asked the archaeologist Huchim Herrera to give more details of this finding in the next issue of the Mexican Archeology magazine .

The Yucatan Post