153 Firearms and a Cannon from the Caste War Documented in a Yucatán Cenote

INAH announced on April 19, 2026, in Mérida the documentation of more than 150 firearms — Spanish- and British-made muskets and rifles — plus an iron cannon still resting on its wooden carriage, submerged in the Síis Já cenote beneath the 16th-century former Convent of San Bernardino de Siena in Sisal, Valladolid, Yucatán. The underwater investigation, carried out by INAH in February 2026, documents a rare archaeological context tied to the Caste War of Yucatán (1847–1901): historical accounts suggest government forces disposed of the arsenal in the cenote during the conflict's early phase to keep it out of the hands of Maya rebel forces. Additional finds scattered among the weapons include ceramic vessels, incense burners, majolica, and porcelain predating the war by centuries. Rather than removing the artifacts, underwater archaeologist Gustavo García conducted a photogrammetric survey to build 3D models for study, and officials noted evidence of unauthorized recreational diving at the site. The Caste War — in which Yucatec Maya rebels came close to retaking the entire peninsula from criollo and mestizo forces — is among the longest and most successful Indigenous uprisings against post-colonial rule in the Americas; the last independent Maya holdout at Chan Santa Cruz was not subdued until 1901.