COATEPEC.- Archaeologists working in the San Lucas residential development in Coatepec, Veracruz, have uncovered a pre-Hispanic structure and a carved monolithic sculpture whose characteristics appear to be unlike anything previously documented in the region.
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The discovery was made as part of an archaeological salvage project led by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). The remains, believed to date from the Early Classic period, around A.D. 200 to 600, include evidence of civic-ceremonial architecture and a large sculpture carved with a scene that specialists interpret as symbolic or ritual in nature.
For Mexico’s Ministry of Culture, the find adds another layer to the country’s already vast archaeological record. Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza said the discovery is a reminder of the depth and diversity of Mexico’s cultural heritage, and of the importance of protecting it as a shared legacy.
At the center of the find is a platform measuring approximately 30 meters long and 12 meters wide. It was built with stone slabs and white-faced limestone with a plaster-like texture. According to researchers, this finish appears to have been deliberately created, possibly through a firing process, to decorate the walls of the structure.
What makes the platform especially unusual is its ornamentation. The walls include lines or square-like figures, as well as circular stones placed on two of its sides. These features, archaeologists say, are not typical of the area and had not been recorded before in this part of Veracruz.
Near the structure, the team also found a monolithic sculpture measuring 1.88 meters high. At its widest point, it is 1.47 meters across, narrowing to 0.68 meters, with a thickness ranging between 22 and 25 centimeters. The carved scene shows two seated elite figures wearing elaborate clothing. They appear to receive a liquid in a vessel from a divine being positioned above them.
One of the figures, specialists noted, may display Maya-like features, an intriguing detail that could point to broader cultural connections or influences. However, the exact meaning of the scene and the identity of the group that created it remain under study.
Both the structure and the sculpture were found in good condition. The platform will require restoration, consolidation and maintenance, while the sculpture has already received conservation treatment, including the application of consolidants and the removal of soil that could have damaged its surface.
As part of the salvage work, archaeologists have carried out a series of test excavations around the structure. These investigations have recovered additional pre-Hispanic materials, including carbonized corn found as offerings, buried vessels, and a greenstone bead broken into four fragments. These materials will be sent to a laboratory for further analysis.
The objects are currently under the care of an interdisciplinary team coordinated by Alberto Vázquez Domínguez and Lino Espinoza García, archaeologists with the INAH Veracruz Center.
Although the term Totonac is often associated with ancient populations that developed between the Cazones and Papaloapan rivers, specialists have not found clear indicators linking this site to that civilization. For now, researchers suggest that the materials may belong to a local culture with attributes connected to groups from the Gulf Coast.
The archaeological rescue work is taking place on private property that has been under field investigation since late 2025. INAH expects the fieldwork to conclude by mid-August 2026, while the study of the recovered materials is expected to continue until February 2027.
The project was authorized by INAH’s Archaeology Council after a request was made to change the land use designation for a private urban development. The area under study covers roughly 12 hectares and had been intended for residential use.
The field team includes archaeologists Mireya Moreno Aguirre, Erika Ramírez Córdoba, Jorge Ulises Mota Landa and Emmanuel Hernández Sánchez, along with 30 field workers. Their work has made it possible to document the discoveries systematically, gather new information about social processes in the pre-Hispanic period, and establish protection measures for areas that will remain restricted because of the importance of the finds.
The salvage project forms part of a broader line of research that the INAH Veracruz Center has carried out since 2000 around the Campo Viejo archaeological site, where the San Lucas development is located. That work has focused on the investigation, protection and preservation of archaeological heritage in the region, while also responding to the need for more detailed studies as modern development expands.
INAH also noted that the property owners have provided the economic, technological and specialized resources needed for the project, including professional equipment, tools and support personnel. According to the institute, the owners have shown interest in the discoveries and in their future dissemination.
A video related to the discovery is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIs84J1LKZ4&feature=youtu.be
