Maya apiary found near Tulum reveals roots of beekeeping traditions still practiced today
The site was discovered in 2022 during construction of the Maya Train, but archaeologists have just announced this week that it contains artifacts that reveal secrets of how the Maya produced the melipona that honey lovers swear by today. The post Maya apiary found near Tulum reveals roots of beekeeping traditions still practiced today appeared first on Mexico News Daily
In 2022, archaeologists uncovered a pre-Hispanic Maya bee house near Tulum in the Riviera Maya, providing insight into how households from around 500 to 800 years ago produced honey. The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced the discovery of 40 limestone and coral discs, believed to be lids for hollow logs used as hives for stingless bees.
These bees produce honey, known as melipona honey, which remains popular in southeastern Mexico for food, traditional remedies, and other products. The limestone structure measures 19.5 meters long, 3.9 meters wide, and 1.2 meters high, and is likely a ná’ajil kab, or bee house, from the Late Postclassic period between 1200 to 1521.
Excavators found additional stone objects, including potential fishing-net weights, grinding stones, and pottery fragments. The bee house was part of a larger Maya household complex, which may have included homes, storage areas, and possibly a shrine. Melipona bee populations in the region face threats from deforestation and pesticide use, but traditional beekeeping remains an important cultural practice.
Written by urgent.news from Mexico News Daily's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
