Editing Yucatán (section)

=== Pre-Columbian era ===
{{Main|Maya civilization}}

[[File:Chichen-Itza-Castillo-Seen-From-East.JPG|thumb|[[El Castillo, Chichen Itza|Temple of Kukulcan]] in [[Chichén Itzá]],  also known as "El Castillo"]]
The origin of the first settlements has not been scientifically confirmed, although the presence of first humans in the area dates from the late [[Pleistocene]] or [[Quaternary glaciation|ice age]] (about 10,000–12,000 years), according to the findings in the [[Loltun Cave|Loltún caves]] and caverns of [[Tulum]] (Women of the Palms).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://especiales.yucatan.com.mx/especiales/rutapuuc/lol-tun_historia.asp |title=La Ruta Puuc |access-date=May 4, 2010 |author=Diario de Yucatán |date=January 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330015616/http://especiales.yucatan.com.mx/especiales/rutapuuc/lol-tun_historia.asp |archive-date=March 30, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The first Maya moved to the Peninsula circa 250 CE, from the [[Petén Basin|Petén]] (today northern [[Guatemala]]), to settle the southeastern peninsula in the modern [[Bacalar, Quintana Roo]].{{sfn|Silva|2006|p=62}}{{sfn|de Landa|1984|p=19}} In 525, the [[Chané people|Chanés]] (Maya group that preceded the [[Itza people|Itza]]), moved to the east of the peninsula, founding [[Chichén Itzá]], [[Izamal]], [[Motul, Yucatán|Motul]], [[Ek' Balam]], [[T'Hó|Ichcaanzihó]] (modern Mérida) and [[Champotón, Campeche|Champotón]].{{Harvard citation|Molina Solís|1896|p=33}} Later, [[Tutul Xiues|Tutul Xiúes]], [[Toltec]] descent, who came from the coast of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], settled in the region causing displacement of the Itza and Cocomes—a diversified branch of Itzá—and finally, after years and many battles, the [[League of Mayapan]] (composed of the Itza, the Xiús and Cocomes) was formed, which eventually disintegrated circa 1194,{{sfn|Molina Solís|1896|p=10}} giving way to a period of anarchy and fragmentation into small domains which the Spanish conquistadors found in the 16th century.{{sfn|Silva|2006|p=63}}