Ancient Maya Genomes Sequenced for First Time NYT: Science By: Freda Kreier 14 June 2024 at 06:05 Thousand-year-old DNA from ChichΓ©n ItzΓ‘ offers eye-opening details of the religious rituals of ancient Maya. Β© Fred Ihrt/LightRocket, via Getty ImagesHuman remains were first discovered in the ancient Maya city of ChichΓ©n ItzΓ‘ in the 1960s while workers excavated land to build a proposed airport runway.