A wooden canoe used by the ancient Maya, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)/Handout via REUTERS

A well-preserved Mayan canoe, estimated to be around 1,000 years old, was discovered during construction work on a major rail link, according to the country's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

The pre-Hispanic vessel was discovered in a cenote between the southern provinces of Yucatan and Quintana Roo by a team of INAH underwater archaeologists.

It is worth mentioning that cenotes are prevalent in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The ancient Maya canoe was discovered while working on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's contentious tourism project, the "Maya Train," which aims to connect Caribbean resorts with ancient archaeological sites.

"The small boat could have been used for the extraction of water from the cenote or for the deposit of offerings during rituals," INAH said in a statement Friday.

Furthermore, researchers said that it is the first canoe of this type so well-preserved from the Mayan region.

The canoe has been initially dated to between 830 and 950 AD.

Archaeological finds are widespread in Mexico, where various societies lived, including the Aztecs and the Maya.