Northeastern Yucatán Project:
Archaeological Survey in the Northeastern Corner of Yucatán, México

Site 18

This is an archaeological site similar in size, or perhaps larger than Sacboh. To reach Site 18, one must get first to the abandoned town of Nuevo Tekal, either through the road that leads to Sacboh, or through the road that leads to Sites 15 and 16, previously referred to. From the town of Nuevo Tekal, one must move towards the northeast through almost abandoned roads that once led to several milpas of the earlier inhabitants of the ejido: in a straight line, there is a distance of approximately 3 km to reach the first structures of the Pre-Columbian town.

Our visit to this site was very short, but for what we could see, the main core is composed of several structures that integrate a plaza; the largest is a pyramid-shaped form approximately 7 meters high, with evidence of looting in its upper part (Photo 48). South of the pyramid, there is an additional high structure that hardly exceeds 5 meters in altitude, which presently has been occupied with the construction of a house made of perishable materials, perhaps with the purpose of taking advantage of a fresh water cenote located at around 60 m from the main pyramid. This cenote was used as well as main water source for the supply of people, when the archaeological site was occupied.

In the surroundings, several structures are still visible, in the shape of extended promontories that are presently covered with abundant zacate, which makes it difficult to observe their surface.

This place is among the most difficult ones in terms of a survey, as its location is remote and a guide’s help is necessary in order to get there. Actually, just very few people prove willing to go to this place.

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