Ancient Maya Pot Found in Zumpango Cave Near Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Deep within the Jaguar Paw cave system, archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have recovered a globular ceramic vessel believed to date back more than 800 years. The find sheds new light on Maya ceremonial use of caves, which were often seen as sacred entrances to the underworld.

A Discovery in the Dark

The pot was discovered in Zumpango, a natural chamber located about 22 kilometers from central Playa del Carmen. Members of the environmental organization Cenotes Urbanos first came across the artifact and notified INAH’s Quintana Roo Center. Archaeologists José Antonio Reyes Solís and Enrique Terrones González were assigned to lead the recovery effort in early April.

The vessel, which dates to the Late Postclassic period (1200–1550 AD), is relatively intact—retaining its two side handles and black-painted geometric designs—though portions of the rim and neck are damaged. Layers of calcified deposits obscure some of its surface decoration, requiring a careful cleaning and restoration process to properly analyze the pot’s typology and chronology.

A Ritual Setting

The pot was found inverted, resting in a niche on a natural shelf in the eastern section of the cave—a placement that suggests intentional ritual use, possibly related to water offerings or ancestral veneration. The broader Jaguar Paw cave system, which includes the Ocho Balas cave, was mapped in 2015 by an international team of speleologists led by Peter Sprouse, aiding archaeological documentation efforts in the region.

Inside Zumpango, the cave opens into a spacious chamber filled with speleothems—mineral formations created by centuries of dripping water. Archaeologists found semicircular stone walls, likely placed by the Maya to mark sacred spaces or modify the natural landscape for ceremonial purposes.

One particularly notable modification is a stone staircase, carved to ease descent down a slope leading to a subterranean water source in the northern section of the cave. Water was a powerful spiritual symbol in Maya cosmology, closely associated with the gods of rain, fertility, and the underworld.

Additional Artifacts and Ongoing Research

During the same survey, archaeologists also recovered a ceramic net weight, believed to have been used as a fishing sinker—evidence of both ritual and daily life intertwining within the cave system. No other artifacts were found during the inspection.

Accompanying the INAH team were archaeologist Miguel Covarrubias Reyna and members of Cenotes Urbanos, who continue to assist in documenting the region’s rich subterranean heritage.

All recovered artifacts are now undergoing further analysis to help clarify their cultural significance and contextual role in Maya society. The INAH team emphasized the importance of protecting cave systems in Quintana Roo, which continue to yield invaluable insights into ancient Mesoamerican life and belief.