Mission Summary
The carved serpent head found at the base of Vista Alegre’s temple structure.
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The Maritime Maya Project 2011 was conducted from May 9-27, 2011, and was focused on the ancient Maya port of Vista Alegre. Located at the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula – where the Caribbean meets the Gulf – the site is part of a wild and largely unexplored coastline that bore witness to one of the greatest seafaring traditions of the ancient New World. Maya traders once plied these waters in massive dugout canoes filled with goods from across Mesoamerica. Each port was a link in a chain connecting people and ideas, and supporting the ambitions of city and state.
Learn moreA 360 degree view of the foliage at one of 40 locations documented by Derek Smith during his ecological survey of the site shows the variety of plant species growing at Vista Alegre including palms (Family: Palmae) and a small Gumbo Limbo or “Tourist Tree.”
Learn moreDr. Goodman discusses the coring project at Vista Alegre and the clues to the site's past that can be found when opening up a core.
Learn moreA panoramic view of Vista Alegre’s East Harbor as Dr. Dominique Rissolo explores the harbor’s shallow waters discovering artifacts from the ancient Maya who once inhabited the site.
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