 The separation in time by distance, by culture, the difference in people around the world is only a manifestation of thoughts, for we are all more closely connected in our perceptions than we could ever have imagined. And this is realized in the Petroglyph record where a cultural explosion was ignited worldwide by events witnessed globally. Wait, do you hear this? In 2017, archaeologist Jacob Welch was conducting excavations at Ucanja, a site in the Yucatan Peninsula near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, when he came across an enormous Mayan mass sculpted out of stucco or lime-based plaster. Now, reports local news outlet Novedades Yucatan, expert from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History have restored the mass, which portrays an unidentified noble or deity and appears to date to the late pre-classic period of the Mayan Empire. As INAH notes in a statement per Google Translate, the Ucanja mass represents a unique element in this region. Vibrantly colored sculptures typically placed near stairways with pyramid-shaped faces, these kinds of Mayan mass were known as stucco reliefs. Researchers have found examples of the monumental sculptures across the former Mayan Kingdom, and the recently unearthed sculpture shows a figure with a large protruding nose and an elongated head. Intricately carved symbols flank the face on both sides, possibly showing a manifestation as realized in the petroglyph pattern, the two dots at either side of the squatter man. When Welsh originally found the mass, he and his colleagues took samples from around the area, analyzed the pigments used to paint the statue and temporarily reburied it to protect it from the elements. The next summer, the researchers returned to the site, removing the mass and nearby staircase for refurbishment. They completed the restoration process, which involved cleaning the mass's surface, strengthening its fragile sections and moving dislodged fragments back into their initial positions. Following the restoration, the team reburied the mass at Ucanja to ensure its long-term preservation. Though the archaeological site is closed to the general public, it lacks legal protection, potentially placing its artifacts at risk of looting, erosion, and tree root growth. Another great find for the front line of archaeology, but what are you guys thinking? Comments below and as always, thank you for watching.