Archaeologists have discovered a very rare statue of a Mayan god during excavations along a railroad track in Mexico  

The statue is one of three known worldwide.

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare statue of the Mayan god Kawiru while excavating a construction site along Mexico’s new Mayan railroad route. This work is part of a pre-railway restoration mission to ensure that ancient artifacts and monuments in the area are not accidentally damaged.

Dedicated to the Mayan god of power, fertility, and prosperity, this stone idol is usually identifiable by its large eyes, upturned nose, and stone Celtic protruding from its forehead. 

This particular pre-Spanish deity was more commonly depicted in paintings, relief sculptures, and Dresden and Mayan manuscripts in Mexico, but in this case a rare three-dimensional image of him was found in an urn. .

“This find is very important because there are very few sculptural depictions of the god Kawil. We are aware of only three in Tikal, Guatemala, one of the first to appear in Mexican territory. said Diego Prieto Hernández, director of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History.

The discovery was made on Section 7 of the Maya Train, an intercity railroad that circles the Yucatan Peninsula and is due to be completed next year. Critics claim it is harmful to the environment, culture and communities. Other finds from previous archaeologist rescue efforts on sections 1-5 of the railroad include ships, pottery shards, bones, and the foundations of ancient structures from the Mesoamerican Maya civilization. These objects are now being cleaned and sorted in a special laboratory in Chetumal.

“All this work should lead to the analysis of vast amounts of information, the production of scientific reports and the large international research symposium on the Maya civilization to be held this year,” said Prieto Hernández. He also promised to build a strong organization. A museum in Merida intended to house valuable finds.