Image Credit: Atasta Flores

Monumental Maya Site May Represent the Order of the Universe

Archaeologists in southeastern Mexico have uncovered new evidence that the vast Preclassic site of Aguada Fénix, built around 1000 B.C., was designed as a cosmogram — a symbolic model of the universe.
The site, first revealed in 2020 by lidar scans, is nearly a mile long and up to 50 feet high, making it the largest known monumental construction in the Maya region. Excavations led by Takeshi Inomata and Daniela Triadan from the University of Arizona have since identified hundreds of similar ceremonial platforms across Tabasco and neighboring areas, suggesting a highly organized yet decentralized society.
At the heart of Aguada Fénix, researchers unearthed a cross-shaped pit containing jade ornaments, ceremonial axes, and colored pigments representing the cardinal directions. The pigments — blue, green, and yellow — provide the first physical evidence linking color symbolism with cosmic order in early Mesoamerica.
The monument aligns precisely with the rising sun on October 17 and February 24, dates that divide the 260-day ritual calendar in half, reinforcing its cosmic significance.
Unlike later Maya cities ruled by kings, Aguada Fénix shows no evidence of centralized authority. Instead, it appears to have been built collectively by communities guided by astronomer-priests or intellectual leaders.
“This discovery shows that large-scale projects don’t always require powerful rulers,” said Inomata. “People came together to express shared beliefs about the cosmos.”

Published on: 05-11-2025

Source: Phys.org