Dzibilchaltun

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structures 53 and 54 entry to south plaza steve mellard

temple of seven dolls steve mellard

DZIBILCHALTUN

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structure 37 steve mellard

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carved deer bone inah

structure 42 upper platform level steve mellard

residential complex steve mellard

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structure 38 wontancito

structure 36 inah

DZIBILCHALTUN-Yucatan, Mexico

DESCRIPTION

Dzibilchaltun is an important archaeological zone located to the north of Merida. Its original name has been deciphered as Ch'iy Chan Ti' Ho. This well-known site is renowned for the appearance of the Sun shining through the doorway of the Temple of the Seven Dolls during the spring equinox. The ruins are a short drive north from Merida just off Highway 261 on the turnoff to Chablekal. The huge site at one time covered approximately 12 sq. miles/19 sq. kms, however the current core zone is much smaller and easily visited.

It has been estimated that upwards of 40,000 people inhabited the site and surrounding area. There are three main plazas in addition to the Temple of the Seven Dolls complex which is located at the east end of a long sacbe (raised stone causeway). Apart from being an archaeological zone it is also a National Ecological Park. The site is set on an axis about 7 degrees east of North.

Dzibilchaltun has a fine museum displaying numerous stone monuments and statues found at the site and from the surrounding area. The museum also houses an in-depth history of the Yucatan with an emphasis on the Caste War 1847-1901. There is a small restaurant as well.

HOURS: 8A.M-4P.M
ENTRANCE FEE: U.S. $5.00/100 Pesos, plus a state fee of $11.50/223 Pesos. $2.50 for video camera.
GUIDES: Yes, inquire at visitor center for current rates
SERVICES: Restrooms, restaurant, visitor center
ON-SITE MUSEUM: Yes, and highly recommended
ACCOMMODATIONS: Plenty of Hotels in nearby Merida
GPS: 21d 05' 20" N, 89d 35' 31" W
MISC: Entry fee includes the Museum

HISTORY AND EXPLORATIONS
Dzibilchaltun is among the oldest sites on the Yucatan Peninsula dating back to as early as 500 BCE. The site was still inhabited at the time of the Spanish Conquest making it one the longest populated sites in the Maya World. It is thought that the city was founded for exploiting the sea salt flats that are found along the nearby coast. Salt was a major Maya trade commodity, and the flats are still commercially worked today. Most of the buildings seen today date from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic period (600-1150 CE).

There are two known rulers from Dzibilchaltun. Kalomte' Uk'uw Ux Chan Chaak ruled in the early part of the 9th century and died c.841 CE. He is identified on Stela 19 and on a carved deer bone with glyphs found within his tomb in Structure 42. His name is transcribed as “Heavenly God of Rain, Who Makes the Clouds Cry”. He was succeeded by Kalom Pitsil Cha’ak who is depicted on Stela 9. The text includes a date from the year 830 CE.

The relationship with nearby Ichcaanzihó/T’Ho’, todays Merida, is difficult to ascertain as the large, ancient city was leveled by the Spanish during the Colonial Period. The true size of Ichcaanzihó, its rulers, and history will never be known.

Alfredo Barrera Vasquez, Wyllys Andrews IV, and George Brainerd carried out preliminary explorations in the vicinity of the South Plaza in 1941. The first organized excavations of the site were carried out in 1956 by the National Geographic Society, and the Middle American Research Institute of Tulane University. Other investigations were carried out in the 1960's and 1980's. There has been recent restoration work, notably to the South and West plazas under the direction of Ruben Maldonado of INAH.

STRUCTURES
The principal structure here is known as the Temple of the Seven Dolls, named after an offering found within the building. This is an early structure that had been covered by one of a later date. Due to the poor condition of the later building most of it has been removed to expose the well-preserved temple found underneath. It is a square structure oriented to the cardinal points with entry openings on all four sides, and windows on the east and west sides. Inside is another square support chamber. It is built atop a two-tiered platform. A frieze of stucco masks and other elements once decorated the exterior on all four sides. The frieze may represent Venus and the celestial god of the number 13, with earspools in the form of a logogram for the direction East (la kin). Intertwined serpents extend to each side. Unfortunately, much of the frieze has disappeared over time since it was first excavated.

The building is renowned for the appearance of the sun at sunrise which shines directly through the east/west door openings of the temple during the vernal equinox. This was a significant agricultural and calendrical marker for the Maya. It should be noted, however, that when the Temple of the 7 Dolls is aligned with Structure 66 (described later) the deviation is closer to 94 degrees east of North.

The temple is the central structure of its own plaza complex, and is located at the eastern terminus of Sacbe 1. The sacbe itself runs east/west and is .4 miles/.64 km in length from the Main Plaza, Plaza 1.

The west side of the temple plaza is made up of 3 structures similar in design and set on a north/south axis, each with double galleries, and having 3 entrances. There is a small single gallery structure just to the north. Under the floors of the west structures numerous offerings were found containing sting ray spines, shells, obsidian, and objects made from green stone. To the southeast of the temple is another structure also with a double gallery. To the east of the temple is a single-chamber building with 3 entrances. The structures date to around 800 CE. On visits during hot summer days take the alternative route through the surrounding sub-tropical low forest.

Heading west on Sacbe 1 towards the Main Plaza is Structure 12 set in the middle of the sacbe. A worn, plain stela is set upon a platform base with steps on all 4 sides. It would appear that at Dzibilchaltun the necessary artisans to carve stone stelae were not always readily available. Which raises an interesting question. How, and where, were artisans trained and employed? Were they mobile, going from site to site at the behest of important rulers as a form of patronage? Did visiting master craftsman give on-site instruction classes? Why did the art of stela carving gradually die out? I guess the same could be said regarding the ancient architects. Constructing these buildings and monuments were massive undertakings. At any rate, it is probable that most of the plain stelae here were once covered with a coating of stucco, and then painted including the necessary information. Nonetheless, a few carved stelae are found at the site containing, among other historical information, a date of 830 CE.

On the south side of the sacbe further westward are two areas of structures of a residential nature. They are partially restored and worth a look.

Just prior to arriving at the Main Plaza are three stelae, Stela 4-6, set on square platforms, Structures 47-49, on the south side of the sacbe. This area is known as the Stelae Plaza. They are set up in a very deliberate manner about 100 feet/33 meters apart on a north/south axis. Again, these stelae are worn and plain. It would have been very interesting to know the history they once recorded.

The very large Main Plaza measures 437 feet/133 meters x 343 feet/105 meters. Its surface was once completely covered with a layer of white stucco. It is anchored on the northeast by Structure 36.

Structure 36 is a five-tiered pyramid with a central stairway, and rises to a height of about 30.8 feet/9.4 meters. Low, plaza-facing platforms house some small shrines. The entire structure has a strangely different alignment as compared to the rest of the buildings in the Central Plaza. Its deviation, close to 15º, is reminiscent of the alignments seen at Teotihuacán and Uaxactún. Mask fragments and sculptural elements in an architectural style known as Puuc (c.800-850 CE) have been recovered from the structure.

Structure 33 is an elliptical foundation set on a low platform next to Structure 36. Two stelae that may have once stood in front of Structures 33 and 36 were relocated in antiquity into a support wall beneath Structure 33 for reasons yet to be understood. They were discovered during excavations. The broken remains of Stela 19, commissioned by Kalomte' Uk'uw Ux Chan Chaak, were reconstructed and is now housed in the museum. Stela 18 remains where it was found along with a reproduction of Stela 19, and is accessed via a modern stairway.

An interesting, and perhaps unique feature here, is that all the structures in the Main Plaza, excluding Structures 33 and 36, have plaza facing stairways that run the entire length of the structure.

In the center of the plaza is a 16th century open air chapel, a common practice of the early Spaniards built by stripping the Mayan structures of finished stone blocks. Graffiti within the structure bears a date of 1596 CE.

Structure 44 is a wonderful structure of 425 feet/129 meters in length, on the south side of the plaza, with a continuous stairway that runs its entire length. It has a platform base that rises up 14 steps to the top, about 40 feet/12 meters. Very impressive! This structure was presumably of a civic/administrative nature with equal access to the two parallel galleries that run along the length of the top of the platform. There are 35 entryways that open into the galleries. It has a near identical twin at the site of Edzna named the Nohoch Na, and a recently restored, smaller version seen at Kuluba. During excavations a sub-structure was discovered that preserves a charcoal drawing of a procession of figures in profile.

The east side of the plaza consists of 3 structures. Structure 42 is the most notable, set on a long, raised platform with a west facing terrace. It has a length of around 220 feet/67 meters. A central masonry structure houses multiple chambers with an extended central stairway, and may have been a temple or palace. A tomb of a 9th century ruler, Kalom Uk’uw Chan Chac, was discovered here. The tomb contained a burial urn, several ceramics, and a deer bone with carved glyphs identifying the owner of the tomb. Two smaller buildings are situated on the back of the terrace and flank the central structure. Stelae 7 and 8 were originally located in front of the building.

The next structure, Structure 41, is a raised platform of about 8 feet/2.5 meters in height. The broad stairway leads up to a flat surface that has the remains of a central, masonry structure. A simple, low, square platform, and Stela 26 are found in front of Structure 41.

On the southwest side of the Main Plaza is a cenote (natural water filled sink hole), Xlacah Cenote, that was the source of drinking water for the city. Numerous ceramic objects have been recovered from its waters indicating its sacred importance. It has been used in modern times as a swimming hole, though with the recent reopening of the site that may have changed.

Just north of, and abutting onto, the cenote is Structure 45 South. This structure is a square, truncated pyramid with the remains of a double chambered temple on the top. Structure 45 North is immediately to the north of Structure 45 South. Structure 45 North is a smaller, more rectangular structure containing a number of chambers. An additional stairway is located on the west side. Both of these structures have broad, plaza-facing stairways, and date from the Early Classic (250-600 CE).

The northwest corner of the plaza is anchored by Structure 37. This is a raised, rectangular platform about 102 feet/31 meters in length, with a width of about 50 feet/15.25 meters. The summit level of this structure has a low, linear platform that may once have held a masonry structure or one of perishable material.

Behind Structure 37 is a group of structures collectively known as the Structure 38 Complex. They form around a low, raised plaza with the east structure being a nicely restored one-room temple. The temple, like the Temple of the Seven Dolls, was excavated from under a later, ruined structure. Several burials were discovered containing shell pendants and necklaces. Sacbe 7 runs along the west side of the complex to the northeast towards other platforms. Sacbe 8 runs to the northwest to residential groups.

A sacbe, Sacbe 2, leads west from the Main Plaza between Structures 45 and 37. Structure 40 is located a short distance away at the intersection of Sacbe 2 and 3. This is a raised, two-level platform of about 6 feet/2.5 meters in height having an east facing stairway. The remains of two stela were located here.

Further west along Sacbe 2 leads to the Standing Temple, Structure 57. This is a multi-chambered structure built in Puuc style architecture showing the remains of a twin corbeled vault. Six burials were located within the building.

A low, square platform exhibiting foundation walls rests between structure 57 and the sacbe. The sacbe is now completely overgrown making it difficult to access this structure, though recent work may have corrected this issue. An overgrown platform is located about 100 feet/30.5 meters west of Structure 57.

Sacbe 2 terminates at a complex that mirrors that seen at the end of Sacbe 1, The Temple of the Seven Dolls complex. This is a very unusual arrangement between two complexes spread about .77 mile/1.24 km from each other on an East/West axis that runs through the Main Plaza. A radial pyramid mound, Structure 66, is set on the west side of a small plaza. Two buildings, Structures 64 and 65 flank the sides of Sacbe 2 in front of Structure 66. A stela platform, Structure 63, is found a short distance from the Structure 66 complex such as is seen with Structure 12 and the Temple of the Seven Dolls Complex. At least two large residential complexes are located to the southeast.

Sacbe 3 crosses Sacbe 2 and runs behind Structure 45 and the cenote. It ends at a low platform occupied by two small buildings, Structures 53 and 54, and acts as the formal entryway into the South Plaza. The platform has stairways on both the north and south sides. The structures once featured multiple chambers.

The South Plaza underwent some restoration in the early 2000's, and again more recently. It measures 376 feet/143 meters x 269 feet/82 meters. The most significant structure here is Structure 46, a rectangular, three-tiered, temple platform structure set on the east side of the plaza. A broad, plaza-facing, central stairway rises up to a ruined summit that may have housed two temples. A secondary, central stairway extends out from the structure into the plaza.

The northwest corner of the plaza houses Structure 55, a temple platform. The south side of the plaza features three smaller buildings. The west side of the plaza has a possible central pyramid mound, Structure 56, with an excavated range type structure that exists in front. When further information on the excavations conducted in the South Plaza become available it will help to clarify the architecture seen here more completely.

There are several residential complexes to the south that contain numerous platforms and buildings. This whole area has been overtaken by vegetation and is currently closed to the public.

To the east of the South Plaza is a nicely restored ball court. The west side of the ball court may have been originally part of the South Plaza. Further to the west, about 984 feet/300 meters, along Sacbe 6 leads to Plaza 3, currently closed to visitors. This plaza has a high radial pyramid, Structure 89, as its main structure. It is found on the east side of a large plaza. A long, range-type structure is on the west side of the plaza. Smaller structures are located on the north and south sides of the plaza.

There are many other smaller structural complexes, individual buildings, and platforms scattered throughout this very large site. A fine way to spend a full day.