This museum incorporates the rich underwater heritage rescued from the coasts of the Yucatan peninsula, the cenotes and flooded caves. Although underwater archeology has only been practiced in Mexico for the last 40 years, the results of the investigations and the objects found in a variety of projects in this region of Mexico are well worth seeing.
The first gallery provides an introduction to underwater archeology, its techniques and the specialists who work in the area. One of the highlights is the eighteenth-century figure of Saint Joseph, patron saint of the fort. The second area was adapted to recreate a prehistoric cave where we can learn about the geological history of the peninsula. There are replicas of extinct animals, their footprints and skeletons, which not only help us understand the disappeared species, but give us an idea of their size in relation to humans. The final section of this gallery tells us about Naia, one of the most ancient women in American prehistory, who lived 13,000 years ago.
The third gallery shows finds recovered from the cenotes of the Yucatan, some of which were made centuries before Christ, while others were made soon before the arrival of the Europeans on the continent. The chocolate flask is worth seeing, with its spout incorporated into the design as the mouth of the face which decorates it. When these vessels were analyzed, traces of theobromine were found, showing that they had been used in the preparation of the cacao beverage. Another section has a magnificent funerary offering from Jaina, accompanying a man, a woman and their child.
The sailors of the Old World must have discovered the hazards of American waters the hard way as there were many shipwrecks, whose remains have been rescued by underwater archeologists. The bronze culverin dating to 1525, canon balls and lead anchors came from one such wreck. The latter were used on sounding lines which enabled the sea floor to be examined. The central exhibit of this fourth gallery is the tiller of an Italian ship carved from ebony, found in a tributary of the river Palizada.
The next gallery must be seen, particularly by lovers of gemstones. The display features a cargo of gold, emeralds and rubies rescued from a wreck on the Alacranes reef. We can see rings, cufflinks, buttons, pendants, medals, crosses, lockets and toothpicks, all made from gold. Another showcase contains a series of silver coins beaten with a hammer in a forge. They are irregular, with crosses and parts of the Spanish coat of arms.
The sixth gallery looks at technological change, particularly ship design and the shift from sail to steam power. The construction of ships also changed, as wood was replaced by metal. The underwater finds include pieces of porcelain, cutlery, bottles, canons, stoves and boilers.
