Ancient Limestone Face Carving Discovered During Controversial Maya Train Project Excavation

Limestone head of Akhenaten

Limestone Head of King AkhenatenNew Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1352–1336 B.C.Found at HermopolisKestner Museum, Hanover, Germany. Inv. No. 1970.49 A tender and unexpectedly gentle vision of Akhenaten greets us here; not the exaggerated, long (almost lion-like) faced king of the Amarna reliefs, but a softer, quieter sovereign in painted limestone. A faint flush of red still clings to his lips, a ghost of the colours that once enlivened his courtly…

Ancient Limestone Face Carving Discovered During Controversial Maya Train Project Excavation

The Maya Train construction project has been ongoing since 2020, with the goal of connecting historical sites in the Yucatan and boosting tourism. The first section opened in December 2024. Over the years, the controversial project has unearthed thousands of archaeological objects and sites along the railway’s 1,000-mile-long route.   As reported in Artnet News, the latest find is a 2,000-year-old limestone face carving, discovered by archaeol…