Archaeology

Chichen Itzá

Chichen Itzá is considered to be the most important archaeological location of the Mayan world. Located 240 km outside of Cancun towards Mérida, Chichen Itzá spans approximately 4 km from north to south. Its height of development occurred at the end of the Mayan Classic period from 900 AD through the Post Classic period around 1200 AD. This breathtaking area was rediscovered in 1842 and rescue efforts have been ongoing since the 1900s. Its resurgence has illuminated the Mayan culture like no other site, captivating descendants, scholars and travelers alike.

Chichen Itzá brings Mayan history to life. It is rich in cultural insights and beautifully highlights different periods of Mayan development, most of which is well documented in the buildings and structures.

The name Chichen Itzá means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza” and it comes from the sacred cenote that exists here. Chichen, as it is commonly known, melds a number of different Mayan architectural styles, from the Puuc style to those reflected in central México. Puuc structures of particular interest include Las Monjas (the nunnery) and the temples located in the area known as Old Chichen.

El Caracol (the snail) is a building from the end of the Classic period that’s believed to be an observatory. It had a chamber for precise observation of the spring equinox, which provided important astronomy insight for the Mayans. Chichen Itzá also drew an important number of pilgrims from the Mayan region, and they would come to the city and leave offerings at the sacred cenote. These offerings were a huge part of the Mayan culture and greatly influenced the people.

Later on, close to the year of 1000 AD, the Toltecs came to Chichen Itzá from the center of México. Their influence can be seen in imagery related to the God of the Feather Snake known as Quetzalcòatl, the one the Mayans call Kukulcán. The Toltec arrival marks the first great mestizaje (a mix of race and culture) for the Mayans, and its impact can still be seen in the area’s religion, art and culture. This lingering influence is a powerful testament to the Mayan civilization’s advanced knowledge of natural resources, astronomy, math, painting, sculpture, writing, and way of life.

During the Mayan-Toltec timeframe, they built the great pyramid of Kukulcán, also known as El Castillo (the castle). Other important buildings of this time included El Templo de los Guerreros (The warriors temple), The Market, The Jaguars and Eagles Platform, and the Ball Game Stadium. All of these are part of Chichen Tolteca and connect to the ancestral sacred cenote via a magnificent sacbè (white road) that remains perfectly defined.

We have to mention that El Castillo is a temple dedicated to the Sun, which had great influence over the Toltecs. El Castillo was built on top of another small temple where a throne is represented by a jaguar resting on a turquoise and obsidian solar disc. This creates the impression that the Sun temple rests on top of the jaguar. This is a significant architectural representation showing how the groups mixed cultures and gods without losing their meaning and importance to the Mayan-Toltec people. Imagery reflecting this level of blended coexistence in of the wake of colonization is very unique in our human history.

Chichen Itzá remained powerful all over the Yucatán Peninsula until 1250 AD, but after the Spanish conquest, the magnificent city was abandoned to become a sanctuary for the Kukulcán god. There is no a solid theory why the abandonment occurred. Today it remains a sacred place, attracting people from all over the world who seek out its beauty and pay respect to the nature gods who are supposed to live there.

Many come to this area to celebrate and admire the equinoxes on March 21 and September 22 because an interesting visual effect takes place on these days. Before sunset, between 2:15 and 4:50 PM, shadows decorate the Kukulcán Pyramid forming seven isosceles angles. When this visual effect happens, it is as if the body of a snake comes down the pyramid’s stairs. This magical visual symbolizes the god Kukulcán (the bird-snake) descending to the earth and it marks the transition from one agricultural season to another.

Chichen Itzá is open every single day from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. A light and sound show is performed everyday starting at 8:00 PM and it is something not to be missed. On Sundays, admission is free. There are many Chichen Itzá tours that leave from the main cities like Cancun, Mérida, Playa del Carmen and Chetumal. You can also rent a car and easily go on your own.

Cobá

Cobá is located in the central part of the Quintana Roo state, in the middle of the rainforest, and it is one of the most ancient cities of the Mayan culture. It was a large settlement spanning over 70 square km of land, lakes and cenotes. Cobá, Macanxoc, Sacalpuc, Yaxlaguna and Xcanhá, as well as Tulum, were occupied during the Mayan’s Classic and Post Classic periods. The Classic timeframe ranged from 250 AD to 900 AD. Between 300 and 900 AD, Mayan cities reached their peak of development. This culturally rich society entered its Post Classic period from 900 to 1200 AD.

The importance of Cobá (whose name means place of cloudy and choppy water) is related to the big Mayan cities of Tikal and Coán. It is thought that Cobá was a major trade exchange where goods and services were distributed between the coast and the interior Yucatán Peninsula. Perhaps it was a commercial, political or religious capital because it had a complex network of 45 sacbeob or scabès, which are huge roads connecting Cobá with other important towns from the region. Some of these large roads even reached the interior peninsula and measured 100 km in length. In its totality, Cobá’s network of roads ran more than 200 km.

Cobá is associated with the Mayan sun god. Within its architecture, we can see four different Mayan influences from the D, Cobá, Macanxoc and Nohoch Mul.

Under the Nohoch Mul influence, one of the highest structures of the Mayan world was built; a pyramid of 42 meters, which is the tallest one in all the Yucatán Peninsula. It provides a great view of the rainforest and the famous Mayan steles, or carved rock slabs where people recorded all the important events and beliefs of the ancient Mayans.

Cobá features residential buildings that reveal the political and economical importance of the city. The building called The Church is almost 25 meters high and has shapes and symbols that represent a goddess worshipped by the hunters and farmers. The ball court belongs to the Late Classic period (600-900 AD). The rituals surrounding this game can be inferred by the human skull drawings carved into the base of the two buildings that frame this area.

The D influence is located in the Conjunto de las Pinturas, an area with vaulted buildings built with rocks taken from older structures. The Conjunto de las Pinturas was constructed during the Mayan Post Classic Period (900-1540 AD) and owes its name to the decorations found on some of the interior walls.

The Macanxoc grouping of structures was where ceremonial and funeral rituals were held. The sanctuaries were comprised of platforms, temples and altars where steles were built, documenting historical information linked to the activities and achievements of the people. One of steles depicts a Mayan goddess ruling during the second half of the 7th century.

The name Nohoch Mul comes from the Mayan words nohoch (big) and mul (hill). The pyramid Nohoch Mul, the highest one of the Mayan world, was built during the Early Classic period (250-600 AD). There is a temple located on its upper part that shows elements of the Oriental Coast style of the Late Post Classic period (1200-1540 AD). This influence features another ball court and a platform of almost 30 meters high, with walls over three times that height. It is one of the biggest courts of the Yucatán Peninsula and it’s believed that this construction was left unfinished by the Mayans.

Cobá is located 173 km away from Cancun and 4 km away from Tulum. It is accessible by taking a detour before Tulum on the road that heads toward the rainforest. Its hours are from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM during summer and from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM during winter, and it is open Monday through Sunday all year long. The access fee is $20.00 Mexican pesos (one US dollar is approximately $13.50 Mexican pesos).

Cobá has a parking lot, restrooms and a ticket booth. Nearby, there are different establishments that sell snacks and crafts from the area. There is an association of local certified guides who offer their services during the visiting hours. It is recommended that you wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Cobá extends deep into the forest and it is possible to get lost; never walk away from the main paths.

Practically all of the hotels and travel agencies from Cancun and the Riviera Maya offer tours to Cobá. You can also get there by renting a car. For this location, we do not recommend taking public transportation.

Tulúm

Tulúm is one of the most well-known, historically significant sites in the Western world. Originally called Zamá –which in Mayan translates to “place of the dawning sun”– Tulúm is located high on the Yucatan’s east coast where the sun makes a glorious first appearance every day. The area’s more modern name Tulúm refers to "wall" or "palizada" in Spanish. It is an allusion to the preserved wall still standing among the beautiful ruins when they were rediscovered during the War of the Castes in the 19th century.

Most of Tulúm’s remaining structures date back to the Mayan Post-Classic era (900 to 1521 AD). However, one upright stone found at Tulúm has the date of 564 AD engraved on it and other structures feature cultural and architectural elements that indicate an array of earlier influences.

Tulúm’s elevation and coastal location made it an ideal settlement along the trade route. It was easy to defend and there was an abundance of rich marine resources. There are over 60 structures still visible at Tulúm, from temples and shrines to the watchtowers. The 3600 foot long wall that surrounds the site sits to the north, south and west. The east remains open, looking directly out to the blue Caribbean Sea.

Three of Tulúm’s most notewrothy structures include El Castillo (a stunning tower perched on a cliff), the Temple of the Frescoes, and the Temple of the Diving God. Traces of the architecture’s decorative figurines, columns, stucco reliefs, murals, and gateways remain intact to this day. The Diving God is typically depicted as an upside down figure above doorways and often associated with bees, and many of the frescoes depicted Chaac, the rain god, and Ixchel, the goddess of women, medicine, and the moon.

Other interesting structures include the House of Columns, the House of the Halach Uinic (the King), and the House of the Well (Casa del Cenote), which was built over a watery cave and used for spiritual ceremonies. The Kukulcán group of minor structures includes the Temple of the God of the Wind, named for the roundness of its base. Kukulcán is the God of the Winds and is often depicted as a feathered serpent.

To fully appreciate Tulúm, we must also mention the beach. There is evidence that Tulúm’s access to coastal routes helped Mayans trade with people from all over Central Mexico and Central America. Today, the picturesque beach is one of the area’s most popular draws.

Tulúm is located 128 kilometers south of Cancun and is easily accessible via the federal highway 180. There is a $45 pesos entry fee and it is open between 8 AM to 7 PM in the summer and from 7 AM to 6 PM in the winter.

There is parking at Tulúm and a ticket counter and restrooms. Certified guides also offer their services during visiting hours. Nearby you will find a commercial center located just over one kilometer from Tulúm. It has hotel facilities as well as various food and handicrafts shops.

El Rey

El Rey is a small archaeological site located in the middle of Cancun’s hotel zone just off Boulevard Kukulcán. The original name of the site is unknown, but it is called El Rey (The King) after an artifact was found representing a human face embellished with an elaborate, regal-looking headdress. Today, this sculpture is viewable in the Archaeological Museum of Cancun.

El Rey is located in a quiet area protected from winds and hurricanes. Visitors will find it to have a peaceful atmosphere even though it’s close to active touristic areas.

Cancun and El Rey were first populated around the year 300 AD with small settlements possibly involved in fishing and commerce. The area’s most important architectural structures were built in the Post-Classic era between 1300-1550 AD. These structures feature the architectural style known as East Coast, which also belongs to sites like Tulúm.

El Rey’s access to the Nichupte Lagoon and Caribbean Sea made it an ideal ocation for fishing and trade. Yet after the Spanish arrived and many residents fled deeper into the peninsula, the area was left uninhabited and at the mercy of pirates who plagued these seas for the next three centuries.

The remaining buildings are a good example of Mesoamerican historical structures. One features a classical arrangement resembling a temple and tomb where burial offerings were found consisting of ceramics, copper, jade, shell and bone objects.

Other structures seem to resemble palaces consisting of galleries with columns that at one time held up a flat roof. This could be where political and administrative meetings were held by the nobles who ruled the city. Some of these structures are identified by an ahaw glyph denoting the nobility of their inhabitants. The more common residents settled in smaller buildings around the perimeter of El Rey.

Throughout El Rey there are a significant amount of birds and reptiles that have taken refuge among the ruins. You can expect to see hundreds of iguanas relaxing in the sunshine.

El Rey is open from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Sunday. There is a parking lot, restrooms, and a ticketbooth, but there is no shop on site. Some certified guides offer their services during visiting hours