Exploration of a hidden subterranean chamber adjacent to the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itza has revealed a specialized ritual laboratory. Excavations uncovered ceramic vessels containing chemical residues of psychoactive plants and rare botanical extracts, including Nicotiana rustica and morning glory seeds, which were integral to Mayan shamanic practices.
The lab's location, accessible only through a narrow tunnel leading from a ritual plaza, suggest that the preparation of these substances was a highly guarded secret performed by high priests. The presence of stone grinding tables and distillation-like ceramic apparatuses points to a level of pharmacological knowledge previously underestimated in Post-Classic Mayan society.