The Mexican government has worked with UNESCO to enter nine heritage sites into its International Register of Cultural Property Under Special Protection in an effort to protect the cultural sites in times of war.

According to the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs – a department within the Mexican government – UNESCO will now offer the nine sites “special protection”, with the heritage body and government working together to impose, promote and implement humanitarian international law at the locations.

Included under the new agreement are the pre-Columbian era cities of Palenque, Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, El Tajin, and Uxmal, as well as the ancient Mayan city of Calakmul and the archaeological zones of Monte Alban and Paquime.

"This corresponds as much to the intention that Mexicans' cultural heritage will progressively have greater protection as it does to commitments by the Mexican government to impose, promote and implement humanitarian international law," said a statement by the Secretariat.

The registry process has taken two years to complete, with several institutions including the Secretariat and the National Anthropology and History Institute starting the process in 2013.

The sites will now prepare plans ahead of potential natural or man-made disasters, with UNESCO striving to combat cultural trafficking and working towards prevention or mitigation of damage to the heritage sites.