Discover the Fascinating Shell Biodiversity of Cancún

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) is hosting a temporary exhibition at the Maya Museum of Cancún, Quintana Roo, to highlight the fascinating world of mollusks. The exhibition, titled "Shells and Snails of Mexico: A Geological, Biological, and Archeological Vision", features 280 pieces that illustrate the biodiversity of shells and snails along Mexico's coastline.

Of these pieces, 180 are from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, Baja California, and the Caribbean Sea, all part of the collection of María Teresa Sara Arredondo and González. The remaining pieces are on loan from the Directorate of Ethnohistory of the INAH, the Institute of Geology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and Perlas de la Paz, a company specializing in cultivating these marine treasures.

The exhibition also includes three replicas of pre-Hispanic tools made from mollusks: a chest plate, an earring, and an earlobe symbolizing the god Quetzalcóatl, produced by the experimental archaeology project "Manufacturing techniques of the pre-Hispanic Mexico shell objects", from the Templo Mayor Museum.

Visitors will learn about the unique characteristics of mollusks and their biodiversity, as well as the evolutionary history of cephalopods, a species that includes octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, coloideos and nautiluses, spanning 100 million years.

The curator and academic director of the exhibition, Gabriela Sara Guzzy Arredondo, notes that the exhibition features "representative shells and snails from each sea, many of which are unique in the world". The exhibition aims to educate the public on how these materials are generated and their various uses throughout history and today.

Mexico's coasts, stretching over 15,000 kilometers, are rich in biodiversity, particularly in the states of Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, which boast the greatest variety of mollusks. These creatures have been integral to human culture, serving as food, tools, musical instruments, medicinal and ornamental applications, among others.

The exhibition is divided into three thematic areas: the geological evolution of Mexico and its coastal mollusks, the chemical composition of these materials, and the various uses of shells and snails from pre-Hispanic times to the present.

The Maya Museum of Cancún is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 17:30. Admission to the exhibition is free. The museum offers a comprehensive overview of Mayan culture and houses a significant collection of archaeological artifacts. Visitors are also invited to explore the San Miguelito Archaeological Zone, located on the same site, featuring various pre-Cortesian residential, administrative, and ceremonial structures.