Archaeologists studying a pre-Hispanic mural at the ancient Maya city of Calakmul have identified what is believed to be the site’s earliest evidence of calendrical writing, a discovery that places the Mexican archaeological centre alongside some of the most significant Late Preclassic Maya cities known for early writing traditions.
The charcoal mural, found within Substructure II C of Structure II at Calakmul in Campeche, is thought to date between 400 and 200 BC. Researchers identified a calendrical sign representing a day in the Maya 260-day ritual calendar, alongside a depiction of the mythological hero Juun Ajaw hunting a creature in the water.
The discovery marks the earliest known written communication from Calakmul, whose surviving inscriptions have previously been associated almost exclusively with the Classic Period (AD 250–900).
“Until the reconstruction of this mural, there was no evidence of early written communication in Calakmul,” said researcher Daniel Salazar Lama, a specialist in Maya iconography and art history who leads an interdisciplinary international research project at the archaeological site. “This places Calakmul at the centre of the cultural flourishing of the Maya Lowlands during the Late Preclassic period, alongside cities such as San Bartolo, El Mirador and Tikal.”
The findings were presented during a lecture in Campeche, where Salazar Lama outlined the progress of the project to document, reconstruct and analyse the mural. The research is being conducted in collaboration with Archaïos, the French Centre for Mexican and Central American Studies, the Stresser-Péan Foundation and Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
The mural, measuring approximately 1.9 metres wide by 1.7 metres high, was discovered during the Calakmul Archaeological Project led by archaeologist Ramón Carrasco Vargas. To ensure its preservation, it was removed from its original location in 2005 and transferred to the National Coordination for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage, where it remains today.
Because the charcoal drawing is heavily deteriorated, researchers employed advanced digital imaging, photogrammetry and graphic reconstruction techniques to reveal previously obscured details of the artwork.
The reconstruction identified Juun Ajaw, a mythological figure well known from Classic Period painted ceramic vessels throughout the Maya Lowlands. According to Salazar Lama, the discovery provides new evidence linking the hero to much earlier mythological traditions.
Researchers also propose revising the mural’s dating. While earlier archaeological studies suggested the structure was built between 400 and 390 BC, new architectural, stylistic and archaeological evidence indicates the painting itself may have been created between 400 and 200 BC. Further scientific sampling will be required to establish a more precise date.
The mural was painted inside an arched vault designed to resemble the interior of a cave—a sacred setting in Maya cosmology associated with the dwelling places of deities and ancestors and the origin of cosmic forces. Caves also featured prominently in Maya creation narratives involving gods and cultural heroes.
Although the precise purpose of Substructure II C remains uncertain, researchers note that the building’s exterior façade features a decorative frieze depicting celestial deities descending from the heavens, while masks at its base symbolise the birth of the maize god. These elements suggest the structure may have served as a ceremonial or ritual space for rulers, priests or the worship of celestial deities.
Salazar Lama believes the newly reconstructed mural may depict an episode from the life cycle of the maize god and represent a ritual act of sacrifice or renewal. He suggests the calendrical inscription was added after the main scene to commemorate the moment of the mythological hunting and sacrifice, with Juun Ajaw as its central figure.
The discovery strengthens Calakmul’s importance as a major centre of early Maya civilisation and expands scholarly understanding of the origins of writing, mythology and ceremonial traditions in the ancient Maya world.
Sources : INAH
