The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have confirmed the existence of a Pre-Hispanic settlement dating from the Mayan Post-Classic period between jungle and mangroves in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico, according to a recent article.

In a report by Latin Post, the Mayan civilization was one of the most dominant indigenous societies of "Mesoamerica"--a term used to describe Mexico and Central America before the Spanish conquest.

The ancient settlement named by the specialists of the INAH Quintana Roo Center, as Mahahual, is reportedly the first of that era detected in the locality on the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula and believed to have been established in the late postclassical period between 1200 BC the first half of the 16th century.

Located on private property near the coastal village of Mahahual in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, on which a tourism development project is planned, the Mayan settlement is believed to be inhabited by farmers and fisherfolks.

Based on the latest surface tours carried out by archaeologists, at the request of the owner of the land, there are now around 80 structures discovered. Most of them are water-related habitational vestiges, human-made vessels used to collect the vital liquid, and sartenejas or natural wells that were dug to reach aquifers.

The region where the archaeological site lies has been found with cenotes, caves, and caverns, as well as various elements that have accumulated there throughout the centuries, for example, remains of a metal boiler, which is believed to be from the Porfirian era.

What also makes Mahahual unique is that no additional objects such as ceramic remains, stone (lithic), or bone elements have been discovered. Archeologists explained the place was only occupied for a relatively short generational time.

For now, the archeologists of the INAH Quintana Roo Center led by Fernando Cortés de Brasdefer said they would continue the research work at the site to find any indications of ritual or civic-religious zones. They will also deliver reports to the Institute's Council of Archaeology.

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"Up to now, the settlement has a heterogenous network form, which is a conformation interweaving paths constituted by family estates that gave origin to a large group of highly organized people," said Cortés.

Fernando Cortés concludes that although Mahahual is not a site with large ritual structures, it still is important because it provides new data revealing the extent of the Mayan civilization on the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula which is closest to the border with Belize.

"We know little about the way of life of those who lived in this region; however, this survey reveals that they could have been farmers who complemented their diet with fishing. In addition, their direct access to the sea would have given them advantages to exchange commercial products with other coastal and inland peoples", he concluded.

What makes Mayans distinct from other indigenous groups is their interpretation of things based on the abundant natural resources in their settlements and their astronomical culture.