It will be worth mentioning the constant interest that Luis had with two important archaeological sites and in which he used several field seasons to proceed with the explorations and architectural restoration. Leira managed to connect Tulum and El Meco. From this last site it is obligatory to state the finding of a particularly valuable movable element since it exposes the event of human sacrifice. This element consists of a trapezoidal stone that functioned as a sacrificial stone (Techcatl in Nahuatl -chamilbiltun in Mayan) that was recovered in Structure Six and that on one of its facades, the exposed image of Cha’ac was modeled on a layer of stucco as a rain deity, but also with attributes of Tlaloc, as a rain deity from Central Mexico. Luis participated in the annual general maintenance projects of archaeological zones open to the public and in the architectural restoration of the surrounding environments. Similarly, he was part of the Temporary Employment Program (PET) whose objective was to generate economic income opportunities in rural areas in several municipalities of the state, Luis considered it opportune and appropriate to also hire female personnel within his projects in the peninsula, something unusual for the time.
The continuous tourist and real estate developments constitute a particularly adverse effect on the jungle environment and with it increases our concern for movable and immovable elements of an archaeological and historical nature that could be affected by the passage of heavy machinery and their respective engineering work. To prevent this, Luis made surface tours of strategic terrain, registering archaeological buildings and exploring underground environments such as caves and cenotes. It is necessary to consider the support, always appreciable, of the group of explorers who accompanied him, residents of the town of Nuevo Xcan. Our beloved Luis gave various courses on Mesoamerican archeology and general notions of the Mayan civilization in the training and formation of groups of tourist guides of the State of Quintana Roo, in the same way, he encouraged us to venture into archaeological knowledge through iconography, Mayan religion, and astronomy which he handled with great ability and knowledge. Another of his actions in favor of promoting general culture was his classes in Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, and South American history. When recalling the sensitive loss of Luis and reviewing his career in broad strokes, perhaps the best tribute we can offer him will be to reflect on his contribution to the anthropological discipline, to which he dedicated his life and was one of its promoters. This brief presentation of his work is a revealing review of the experiences he had as INAH researchers, giving us a beautiful friendship.
Piedra del sacrificio o texcatl. D.R. INAH Instituta Nacional de AntropologĂa e Historia
36