Ancient Mayan City X’baatún Discovered in Yucatán Jungle

Tekal de Venegas, Yucatán — Amid the dense jungle and the whisper of wind through the branches, X’baatún remains silent, untouched by the passage of time. In the heart of Tekal de Venegas, this well-preserved Mayan site reveals itself gradually, as if history itself chooses when to unveil its secrets.

The settlement, registered in the Yucatán Archaeological Atlas since 1980, extends across 5.5 square kilometers. Its core, surrounded by an ancient perimeter wall and accompanied by a water reservoir, covers approximately eight hectares—a dimension that specialists compare to Roman-era Barcelona. There, the jungle does not completely conceal the traces of a city that was once alive.

Researchers from Spain and Mexico have returned to walk these green-covered paths, confirming that between 35 and 40 structures form the heart of X’baatún. Beyond the wall, history expands: residential units appear, speaking of a broader, organized community deeply adapted to its environment.

The vaults, columns, and friezes reveal features of early Puuc architecture, a style characteristic of the mountainous region between Campeche and Yucatán. Each carved stone preserves the memory of a refined construction tradition that now converses with roots, moss, and centuries-old trees.

Discreet yet precise excavations, along with analysis of the pottery found, have allowed researchers to reconstruct the long life of X’baatún. Its occupation spanned from the Late Preclassic period, around 300 B.C., to the Early Postclassic period, around 1200 A.D., confirming that this site witnessed centuries of Mayan history.

Today, X’baatún remains there, protected by the jungle and the patient work of specialists, as a reminder that in Yucatán, there are still ancient cities waiting to be told—not with haste, but with awe.