The beginning of logwood exploitation in Yucatan in charge of Marcos de Ayala Trujeque, XVI century

Abstract

This paper focuses on the beginning of logwood exploitation, called Campeche wood or Ek in Maya which is connected, according to documented sources, to a man from the conquistadores of the army of Montejo. His name is Marco de Ayala Trujeque, originally from Toledo and who was part of the list of forty nine conquistadores in the vicinity of Villa de Valladolid in 1542. He discovered how to make dye by observing the people he had under his charge.