MEXICO CITY.- Deep inside the ejidal Oxwatz Park, in the municipality of Tekal de Venegas, archaeologists are gradually revealing the true scale of X’baatún, a Maya site that is proving to be far larger and more complex than previously imagined. Fieldwork carried out in the final weeks of 2025 shows that the settlement flourished for nearly five centuries, between 700 and 1200 CE, spanning the Late–Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic periods.

“What we’re finding is that X’baatún extends well beyond what we originally expected,” said archaeologist Juan García Targa, co-director of the research project. Within a core area of roughly nine kilometers, enclosed by a perimeter wall, researchers have documented close to 60 structures. And that may only be part of the story: buildings continue to appear in all directions from the site’s main nucleus, suggesting that its total extent has yet to be fully mapped.

Adding to the intrigue is Kukulá, a nearby settlement located about one kilometer away, which may have been part of the same urban landscape. Preliminary surveys there indicate the presence of at least 50 buildings, reinforcing the idea that X’baatún formed part of a broader network of communities in the northern Yucatán plains.

Known as “the place where water is collected,” X’baatún has been the focus of intensive surface surveys, now complemented by high-resolution topographic mapping, GPS positioning, and drone-based photogrammetry. The project is led by García Targa, from the University of Barcelona, together with archaeologist Carmen Varela Torrecilla of the University of Cantabria, and is authorized by the Archaeology Council of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH).

Among the most striking discoveries is a residential complex known as Structure 13, measuring about 35 meters on each side and arranged around a plaza. The group includes a small pyramid, Structure 15, standing four meters high. “It’s an aesthetically remarkable complex,” García Targa explained. “It has helped us identify a new type of residential layout from the Late–Terminal Classic, while also showing clear elements of the Puuc architectural style, adapted locally.”

Puuc architecture—characterized by stone columns and vaulted rooms built with distinctive “boot-shaped” stones—was long thought to be confined mainly to the hilly southwest of Yucatán, at sites such as Uxmal and Kabah. The findings at X’baatún now suggest that this style reached farther and earlier into the central plains than previously believed.

Ceramic fragments recovered from surface collections and test pits provide further clues. According to Varela Torrecilla’s preliminary analysis, some imported pieces point to a possible historical connection with Ek’ Balam, hinting at regional interaction and exchange.

Beyond excavation and mapping, the project places strong emphasis on public outreach. Results have been shared at the Ichkaantijoo Maya Culture Symposium organized by INAH Yucatán and at the Grand Museum of Chichén Itzá. At the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), researchers recently presented a review of six years of interdisciplinary work enriched by the participation of local workers from Tekal de Venegas and Dzoncauich.

As investigations continue, X’baatún is steadily reshaping archaeologists’ understanding of settlement patterns in northern Yucatán. What was once a little-known site hidden within the forest is now emerging as a significant center—one that promises to shed new light on the social, architectural, and political landscape of the ancient Maya world.