Rupert Myles’ House Will Be Moved

Rupert Myles

There is another recent case involving the destruction of Mayan sites, but in the south.  Rupert Myles was detained in June of 2015, according to traditional Maya customs, for desecrating a mound within the Uxbenka Archaeological Site. Myles, despite warnings from Mayan leaders in the community, had constructed his wooden house atop a monument and cleared a portion of the mound to create a driveway to his property. The Institute of Archaeology at the time said it would be taking action against Myles, but now, they are in negotiations with Myles. According to Doctor John Morris, the house will be removed within the next two weeks.

Dr. John Morris, Director, Institute of Archeology

“We have not discontinued any charges. We are currently in negotiations with Mister Myles to have the house removed from on top of the structure. But like all these things, these negotiations take some time and in fact, we recently…last week Thursday, we had a discussion with Mister Myles because we are planning to move the structure that he built up there within two weeks from today…as I speak. We are just trying to figure out where we are going to put the structure. And then we also have to think in terms of the assessment of what damages was done to the building so that then we can work out whatever compensation or if we will have to go to court, we will go to court. But these things take time just like this court that has just concluded.”

John Morris

Duane Moody

“Sir was there any initial assessment of the damage that has been done to the mound?”

Dr. John Morris

“We we have done our initial assessment in terms of the actual integrity of the structure. The structure still remains, a portion of it…it was a domestic building, unlike this one that was a pyramid, this was a domestic building where an ancient Maya family lived. So once we remove the building from up there, then we can do a better assessment of what took place.”