Postclassic Artifacts Uncovered at Isla Mujeres Hacienda

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — Municipal authorities and archaeologists are advancing work on postclassic-era artifacts discovered at Hacienda Mundaca, where excavations have revealed human remains and evidence of a sanctuary dedicated to the Maya goddess Ixchel.

The Isla Mujeres municipal government, in collaboration with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), is analyzing archaeological pieces found at the park, which date to the postclassic period, along with tombs containing remains of men and women. Local chronicler Fidel Villanueva announced during the site’s reopening ceremony that additional tombs remain to be explored.

Villanueva, a former municipal president, noted that Hacienda Mundaca had been “brutally” looted of its historical and cultural wealth. The site lacked perimeter fencing for years, allowing unrestricted access, and remained abandoned until 2014 when then-municipal president Agapito Magaña Sánchez secured funding for enclosure. Reactivation only occurred under the current administration.

According to discovered artifacts, INAH anthropologists have determined the site served as a sanctuary to Ixchel, goddess of the sea and tides. Among remains found at the location was a face carving believed to represent the deity.

Artifacts include jade, jadeite, wooden fishing nets, and animal remains, alongside eight human bodies dating to the 12th or 13th centuries. At least one additional tomb awaits exploration, with possibly more undiscovered.

During the reopening ceremony, Municipal President Atenea Gómez Ricalde explained that rehabilitation included safer walking trails, a new observation tower, improvements to the outdoor theater, and new sculptures to enhance visitor experience.

The site hosts over 200 plant and animal species, with recorded sightings of Monarch butterflies possibly due to years of disuse allowing undisturbed migration.

Originally encompassing more than 19 hectares, Hacienda Mundaca now covers only 17 recognized hectares. Municipal authorities called on citizens to defend the space against sale or concession.