A newly discovered, 1,400-year-old site in the Mexican state of Veracruz may alter understandings of cultural interactions along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The country’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) recently announced the discovery of large-scale platforms and a well-preserved stela during a salvage project in the city of Coatepec in Veracruz.
Situated adjacent to the archaeological site of Campo Viejo, the findings reveal architectural and decorative elements that INAH experts describe as “unprecedented” in the region. Discovered in 1972, Campo Viejo was occupied between 150BC and AD150. It features large-scale platforms that formed ceremonial plazas.
“Campo Viejo was the main settlement of its time in a densely populated region around present-day Xalapa with a clear settlement hierarchy,” Annick Daneels, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Unam) specialising in Veracruz archaeology, tells The Art Newspaper. “It lies near one of the routes connecting the Gulf Coast and the Central Highlands, which served as axes of interaction from the Preclassic period onward.”
Well-preserved stela found buried at the site near Campo Viejo, Coatepec, Veracruz Courtesy National Institute of Anthropology and History
The new findings, located west of Campo Viejo, likely date to the Early Classic period (AD200-AD600). Totonacs are known to have settled in the region, yet INAH experts suggest a different group here. According to a press release, “preliminary research points to a local culture with attributes of Gulf Coast groups”. The discoveries include structures from different construction phases. Among them is a 30m-long, 12m-wide platform decorated with circular and square motifs previously undocumented in the region. It was built with slabs and dressed limestone, featuring a white, plaster-like texture likely produced by firing. A ritual offering—including pottery vessels and figurines, charred maize remains and a fragmented green stone bead—was also discovered.
The 1.88m-high, 1.47m-wide stela was found buried. “The stela was placed face down, and structures were built on top of it,” Mireya Moreno, an INAH archaeologist, said in an official video. It depicts two figures wearing elaborate attire, including headdresses and earpieces. Above them, an entity appears to emanate a substance. “They are two elite individuals who gather and participate in a ritual,” INAH archaeologist Ulises Mota adds in the video. While further research is needed, INAH experts noted that one figure displays possible Maya-like traits.
The composition is intriguing. “What is unusual for central Veracruz is a composition featuring two seated figures facing one another, previously undocumented,” Daneels says. “It displays Protoclassic (400BC-AD100) features characteristic of the Isthmian style, extending from La Mojarra in Veracruz to Izapa in Chiapas and Takalik Abaj and Kaminaljuyú in Guatemala.” Daneels notes that this tradition emerged during a crucial period when pyramid-and-plaza architecture became widespread across Mesoamerica and was linked to some of its earliest glyphic writing.
Preliminary drawing of the stela found on site Courtesy Lino Espinoza, National Institute of Anthropology and History
In addition to its historic implications, the finding reflects tensions surrounding real estate development in Veracruz. The site is located within Bosque San Lucas, a new 12-hectare luxury residential development branded as “eco-sensitive”. Archaeological remains were expected given the site’s proximity to Campo Viejo. “These areas have been subjected to mechanised agriculture,” says Lino Espinoza García, the project’s INAH co-leader. “It may appear that there is nothing there, but once you excavate, archaeological remains emerge.”
On 19 June, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum called the discovery “significant” and announced that special funding would be allocated. Local authorities hope that this finding and the possible opening of Campo Viejo may boost tourism in Coatepec, which was declared a “magical town” in 2006. Under Mexican law, archaeological heritage belongs to the nation, although private owners—in this case Bosque San Lucas, which funded the excavations—may serve as custodians.
The real estate project is ongoing. Excavations will continue until August, while analysis will extend through February 2027. Meanwhile, construction carries on. “We are proud to be part of this project,” a social media statement from Bosque San Lucas on 20 June reads. “Construction will continue respecting the restricted areas.”
