New World Heritage Sites in Mexico
2010-10-15
UNESCO has recently recognized two new World Heritage Sites in Mexico, bringing the country's total number of sites up to 31. This makes Mexico the country in the Americas with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
One of the recently added sites is the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a trade road that had connected Mexico to what is now the United States from the 16th to the 19th century. The road is 2600 kilometers long, and had been primarily used for transporting mined goods. Five previously-existing World Heritage sites lie along the road.
The other recent addition is the prehistoric caves of Yagul and Mitla, which are pre-Hispanic archeological complexes that contain what some believe is the earliest evidence of plant domestication on the continent. Ancient seeds were found in one cave, along with corn cob fragments that may be the earliest evidence of maize domestication in the Americas.
Rock art inside the caves also supports evidence of a transition from hunting and gathering to farming.
Those interested in adventure travel and cultural history will not want to miss these two sites.
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