Costa Maya

Around 6500 BC the Native Americans started agricultural activities. The agriculture was of the slash and burn type. Around 3500 BC the agricultural skill had developed as such that they formed permanent villages in the center of Mexico. The Maya are not the first culture to appear in Mexico; they were preceded by the Olmecs near the Gulf coast. The first Maya like culture appeared around 200 BC in the south of Mexico (Chiapas).

The Maya were predominant in three areas: the northern area which is the Yucatán Peninsula, the central area which is the Petén area and the western area which are the lowlands bordering to Belize. The Costa Maya falls under the western lowlands. The agricultural skills evolved between 200 BC and 900 AD to the extent that workers could be made available to build the beautiful cities as we know them today. In the area around the Costa Maya the building styles called Rio Bec and Chennes are found. The Mayan culture weakened during the period of 900 AD to 1200 AD. Other cultures influenced the building styles in that period (an example of this is Tulum).

The Río Bec and Chennes sites are some of the most recent found in Mexico. Most of the sites were found by rubber farmers scouting the forest in search of rubber trees. The discovered sites are as follows:

During the Mayan high times there was a flourishing maritime trade along the Yucatan coast. The Mayans used large dugout canoes. They traded in fabrics, jade, obsidian, salt, and shells. The area of Xcalak was a landing point because of the two openings in the reef. Xcalak means 'the twins' in Yucatec Maya. A small unnamed site was found just east of the current village of Xcalak.

The first contact between the Spanish conquerors and the Maya took place in 1502 in Honduras. Initial contacts were friendly; however when Francisco Hernández de Córdoba arrived on the Yucatán Peninsula in 1517 intent on conquest, the Maya resisted. Thousands of Spaniards were killed within a short period of time, giving subsequent conquistadores adequate excuse for subjugating the native population.

Hernán Cortés landed in 1519 on Cozumel and within three years he had conquered most of the area. Twenty years later the Mayans suffered their final defeat by Francisco de Montejo.

Following Mexican independence in 1821, the Mayan territories of Chiapas and Yucatan decided to join the United States of Mexico in 1840.

In the 19th century Mennonites came to Mexico from the Netherlands. The Mennonites can also be found around the Costa Maya and can easily be recognized by their denim overalls and checkered red shirts.

The history of Xcalak dates back to pre-Hispanic times, with 16 archaeological sites having been discovered between Punta Herrero (south of Bahia Espiritu Santo) and Boca Bacalar Chico. Seven of these sites are located between Punta Gavilan (just north of Guacamaya) and Boca Bacalar Chico, the border with Belize.

In the 16th century, English pirates took over a large part of the coast and attacked Spanish ships that transported gold and riches back to Spain. Spain tried to defend its interests by constructing forts such as the one at Bacalar. Pirates continued to devastate the region, intending to take over the entire peninsula in the name of the English Crown. The reign of the pirates lasted until the end of the 19th century, taking advantage of the indigenous rebellions and the abandonment in which the region was found.

At the end of the 19th century, the Mexican Navy took control over what is today the state of Quintana Roo. In 1897, during the presidency of Porfirio Diaz, a treaty was signed which established the territorial limits between British Honduras (now Belize) and Mexico. This caused serious problems for Mexico because the territorial limit was at the center of Boca Bacalar Chico canal. This natural canal separates the Xcalak peninsula from Ambergris Key, and as a result, Mexican military vessels lost access to Chetumal Bay and remain at the mercy of Belize for permits.

Due to the lack of access to Chetumal Bay, Brigadier Angel Ortiz Monasterio, the Mexican consulate, commissioned engineer Rebolledo to find a suitable place to build a port in this area. Rebolledo selected Xcalak because two natural entrances through the barrier reef would permit navigation. The port was established in an effort to permanently occupy this area. From this site, Mexico intended to direct a military campaign to stop the supply of arms to the Maya rebels of Quintana Roo, who were participating in what is known as the Caste War. This led to the establishment of a base on the southern limits of Xcalak peninsula.

In October 1899, a site was constructed on the Zaragoza Canal to provide access to Chetumal Bay. (This canal south of town has recently been reopened and re-dredged in another effort to allow military vessels access to the bay.) At the same time, on the Caribbean coast the widening of the entrance through the reef was initiated. In addition, a 'Decauville' railroad was built between Xcalak and La Aguada (on Chetumal Bay) in order to relieve the boat traffic through the narrow international canal.

The development resulted in a port system which overcame the lack of a direct entrance into Chetumal Bay. Equipment was unloaded in Xcalak, taken by train to La Aguada, and then reloaded and taken to Payo Obispo, which was founded two years earlier. Thus, the village of Xcalak was founded on May 19, 1900 as the base for the 'Southern Fleet' and the first shipyard in the Mexican Caribbean. At the same time, the first telegraph in the state was built.

When the Federal Territory of Quintana Roo was created in 1902, there were three important villages on the coast: Xcalak in the south, Vigia Chico in the middle, and Puerto Morelos in the north. The Xcalak village was the only village in the territory that did not depend on mahogany and chicle (used for chewing gum). Xcalak relied upon fishing and the exportation of coconut. The organization of copra, or coconut ranches, began in Xcalak and expanded to the bay area. Copra exportation eventually replaced fishing.