The first people

Mesoamerican civilization began to emerge around 2500 bc, as agriculture increasingly provided a reliable food source that could support larger and larger populations. Freed from having to constantly search for food, the formerly nomadic peoples were able to establish permanent settlements. The shift from a hunting-gathering existence to one that revolved around agriculture and village life also gave people more time to devote to architectural and cultural pursuits. This made possible large public projects such as irrigation canals and temples, as well as the creation of fired clay objects such as dishes and containers.

One of the first major Mesoamerican civilizations was established by the Olmec. Between 900 and 400 bc the major sites of the Olmec were destroyed. The Zapotec people began building their religious center and capital at Monte Albán around 500 bc. Monte Albán was one of the first cities in the Americas and rivaled Teotihuacán as a center of Mesoamerican culture. The Zapotecs developed one of the earliest writing systems in the Americas, using pictorial characters known as hieroglyphics to convey simple ideas. Maya civilization flourished in southern Mexico and Central America between ad 300 and 900. The Maya built large religious centers that included ball courts, homes, and temples. Maya religion centered around the worship of a large number of nature gods and chronology among the Maya was determined by an elaborate calendar system. Although highly complex, this calendar was the most accurate known to humans until the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century.

About ad 900, the Maya centers were mysteriously abandoned, and some Maya migrated to the Yucatán Peninsula.. A migration or invasion from central Mexico strongly influenced Maya culture and art styles during this period. Chichén Itzá and Mayapán were prominent cities

The Toltecs rose to power in the 10th century ad and are the first people in Mesoamerica to leave a relatively complete history. The Nahuatl-speaking Toltecs established colonies along their northern frontier, protecting the region against hostile groups and greatly expanding the amount of land given over to agriculture. In the 12th century droughts in the north central region weakened the Toltec hold on the region. Desperate and starving people from the north surged southward, eventually overwhelming the Toltecs and forcing them to abandon Tula. Toltec survivors migrated south to the Valley of Mexico, where they joined with other peoples

Discovery of Mexico

The first explorer to visit Mexican territory was Francisco Fernández de Córdoba, who discovered in 1517 traces of the Mayans in Yucatán. Hernan Cortés disembarked in Tabasco in 1519 and founded Veracruz.

Opening to Tourism

In the 1960's, the Mexican governement became interested in a small sand band located on the Eastern cost of the Yucatan peninsula. This is how Cancun, a seaside resort that not only transformed an isolated region of Mexico , but also revealed the tourisme potential on the coast along the Carribean Sea, was born. This part of Mexico was occupied periodically for several centuries. Stone temples released during the building of seaside resorts go back to the XIIth century. The interior of the country has many majestic ancient cites and remarkable ceremonial centers. A few hours drive from Puerto Morelos some 200 archeological sites can be explored, some that have been magnificently restored, while others are disappearing under the vegetation.

The fascinating Mayan culture of the region has lived through an accelerated tourist developement.