A presumably arson fire seriously damaged paintings of the Totonac culture in the archaeological zone of the tajin what It is known as the main ceremonial center of the Mesoamerican indigenous people in Veracruz.
According to testimonies of inhabitants and workers of the archaeological zone, the fire last morning this Wednesday in the area of the Los Murales building of the archaeological zone.
Witnesses to the accident also reported the burning of a protective membrane of the murals that remained adhered to the works carried out between the years 900 and 1000.
The damaged mural had been intervened by archaeologists in 1984 and the ceremonial center has been registered as a cultural material asset on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reported through a statement that the fire of the plastic covering on the murals caused damage, but the first inspections indicate that they are reversible.
He added that specialists from the archaeological zone are already assessing the extent of the damage.
“In the next few days, once the opinion is concluded, the specialists will determine the best intervention strategy, in order to reverse the possible damage and begin, as soon as possible, the restoration tasks of this valuable testimony of the Totonac culture.”
the totonac civilization took place from the years 300 to 1520 during the late classic period as well as the postclassic and its inhabitants still preserve the customs.
Historians report that the Totonaca culture allied with the Spanish to defeat the Aztecs and remove their domination of the center of what is now Mexico.
Totonac culture too left as a legacy one of the most recognized ceremoniesit is about Los Voladores de Papantla who ask Father Sun and Mother Earth to bring food in the harvest.
From a high pole, four totonacas throw themselves with a rope tied to rotate 13 times each one of them, since multiplied by the four flyers results in the number 52 that symbolizes the cycle of the Mayan Calendar.
(With information from Christian Granados)
Reference-aristeguinoticias.com
