Central America | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/central-america/RSS feed for Central AmericaenWed, 01 Jul 2026 14:33:20 +0000This Ancient Monolith That Archaeologists Unearthed in Mexico May Depict People Receiving ‘Divine Liquid’ in a Ritualhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/The stela was found with a large, decorated platform and remnants of offerings in the state of VeracruzWed, 01 Jul 2026 14:33:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/In Times of Trouble, the Maya Rejected Divine Kingship. This Newly Discovered Public Building Reveals How the Transition to Shared Power Unfoldedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/Archaeologists in northern Guatemala unearthed a colonnaded open hall that may have served as a council house, where local leaders and everyday people met to discuss political issuesMon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/This Carved, Painted Zapotec Tomb Is Mexico's Most Important Archaeological Discovery in a Decadehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-carved-painted-zapotec-tomb-is-mexicos-most-important-archaeological-discovery-in-a-decade-180988162/The tomb features the carvings of a huge owl head and at least three probable ancestorsMon, 09 Feb 2026 20:00:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-carved-painted-zapotec-tomb-is-mexicos-most-important-archaeological-discovery-in-a-decade-180988162/These Male Hummingbirds Evolved Straighter, Sharper Bills So They Could Better Joust for Mateshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-male-hummingbirds-evolved-straighter-sharper-bills-so-they-could-better-joust-for-mates-180987883/While female green hermit hummingbirds have curved bills, males’ straighter mouthparts are built for stabbing one another, a new study suggestsThu, 18 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-male-hummingbirds-evolved-straighter-sharper-bills-so-they-could-better-joust-for-mates-180987883/Millions of Maya Still Call Mesoamerica Home. This Groundbreaking Initiative Ushers the Rich Tapestry of Mayan Languages Into the Digital Agehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/millions-of-maya-still-call-mesoamerica-home-this-groundbreaking-initiative-ushers-the-rich-tapestry-of-mayan-languages-into-the-digital-age-180987113/The Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project promotes tools designed by and for Indigenous communities, like online glossaries and special phone keyboardsFri, 08 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/millions-of-maya-still-call-mesoamerica-home-this-groundbreaking-initiative-ushers-the-rich-tapestry-of-mayan-languages-into-the-digital-age-180987113/How One Chihuahua Proved to Be a Link to the Ancient Dogs That Moved to Latin America With the Spread of Agriculturehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-one-chihuahua-proved-to-be-a-link-to-the-ancient-dogs-that-moved-to-latin-america-with-the-spread-of-agriculture-180987122/New research shows that ancient dogs did not join Indigenous people in Central and South America until farming became popular—especially of maizeThu, 07 Aug 2025 16:30:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-one-chihuahua-proved-to-be-a-link-to-the-ancient-dogs-that-moved-to-latin-america-with-the-spread-of-agriculture-180987122/In Belize, Maya Descendants Are Reviving an Ancient, Sacred Ballgamehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/in-belize-maya-descendants-are-reviving-an-ancient-sacred-ballgame-180987058/A movement is underway to make pok-ta-pok, the world’s oldest team ballgame, the national sportThu, 31 Jul 2025 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/in-belize-maya-descendants-are-reviving-an-ancient-sacred-ballgame-180987058/Archaeologists Unearth Treasure-Filled Tomb Belonging to the First Known Ruler of a Maya City in Belizehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-treasure-filled-tomb-belonging-to-the-first-known-ruler-of-a-maya-city-in-belize-180986972/Te K'ab Chaak was a wealthy warrior king who rose to power in 331 C.E. His burial is the first royal tomb found in the ancient city of CaracolFri, 11 Jul 2025 20:16:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-treasure-filled-tomb-belonging-to-the-first-known-ruler-of-a-maya-city-in-belize-180986972/Ancient DNA Reveals Mysterious New Group of Humans in Colombia With No Genetic Ties to People Todayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-reveals-mysterious-new-group-of-humans-in-colombia-with-no-genetic-ties-to-people-today-180986819/The previously undocumented lineage of hunter-gatherers seems to have disappeared around 2,000 years agoWed, 25 Jun 2025 16:44:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-reveals-mysterious-new-group-of-humans-in-colombia-with-no-genetic-ties-to-people-today-180986819/Giant Sloths the Size of Elephants Once Walked Along the Ground. Here's How the Massive Animals Evolved and Declinedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-sloths-the-size-of-elephants-once-walked-along-the-ground-heres-how-the-massive-animals-evolved-and-declined-180986691/Researchers analyzed fossils and DNA to get a big-picture view of sloth evolution and determine what drove their immense size variationThu, 29 May 2025 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-sloths-the-size-of-elephants-once-walked-along-the-ground-heres-how-the-massive-animals-evolved-and-declined-180986691/