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hall of kings stucco feet steve mellard
kukulcan pyramid steve mellard
temple of the warriors steve mellard
kukulcan pyramid 1841 frederick catherwood
Q79-82 temple complex & niches temple steve mellard
MAYAPAN
kukulcan pyramid temple steve mellard
round temple steve radzi
kukulcan pyramid & hall of kings steve mellard
telchaquillo church steve mellard
hall of masks & round temple steve mellard
room of paintings restorations steve mellard
round temple 1841 frederick catherwood
temple of the fisherman northeast plaza steve mellard
ocillated turkeys steve mellard
chac mask joeldesalvatierra.
west side of central plaza & west plaza steve mellard
temple of the niches steve mellard
room of paintings mural steve mellard
round temple north side steve mellard
sub-structure figures steve mellard
temple of the niches reproduction barerra and peraza
round temple and & temple of kukulcan steve mellard
sub structure figures steve mellard
southeast plaza temple platforms steve mellard
Q88a jaguar sculpt inah
temple of the fisherman mural steve mellard
view of central plaza pavel vorobiev
drone image michaelazaria
overhead view google earth modified
cremortorium str Q58 steve mellard
hall of kings steve mellard
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MAYAPAN-Yucatan, Mexico
DESCRIPTION
Mayapan is seldom visited, Terminal/Post Classic (900-1500 CE) archaeological zone. It is located in west-central Yucatan just off Highway 18, south of Merida along the “Convent Route”. The walled site encompasses 2.5 square miles/4.2 sq km, and contains about 4,000 structures (mostly residential platforms), with the core area easily visited. The population at its peak is thought to have been around 15,000-17,000 inhabitants. Mayapan appears to have retained its original name.
There is on-going excavation work being performed, most recently on the western platforms behind the Pyramid of Kukulcan. The extensive wall, measuring around 5.5 miles/9 km in length, encloses the core area of the site, and once featured twelve entrances.
Workshops have been excavated showing evidence of flint and obsidian tool making, shell decorations, and the production of copper items such as bells, tweezers, rings, and hooks.
In many aspects Mayapan mimics the architecture at Chichen Itza, the earlier, great Maya site in central Yucatan. It was a shared capital between the two major cultural groups of the time period, the Xiu and the Cocóm.
This was the last political capital of the Maya in northern Yucatan, and it has a wonderful layout.
There are some oscillated turkeys that hang around at the turnoff to the site. Give them a “gobble gobble” and they’ll answer you. This is a site that should not be overlooked.
HOURS :8A.M.-5P.M.
ENTRANCE FEE: Temporarily closed (August 2024) U.S. $4.25/75 Pesos
GUIDES: No
SERVICES: Restrooms. Pick up beverages at the nearby town of Telchaquillo
ON-SITE MUSEUM: No
ACCOMMODATIONS: None in the immediate area, day trip from Merida or Campeche
GPS: 20d 37' 56" N, 85d 27' 32" W
MISC:
HISTORY AND EXPLORATION
Early evidence points to a small settlement during the Middle Preclassic (750-350 BCE). The excavation of a burial has been dated to the Classic Period, c.770 CE indicating continued settlement. The current structures seen at Mayapan however, all date from the Terminal/Post Classic Period (900-1500 CE). The site was occupied until the middle of the 15th century, when it was destroyed and abandoned through internal strife.
Researchers are in disagreement as to exactly when Mayapan was founded as a capital city. The interpretation of one of the historical chronicles relates that in a Katun 13 Ahau Mayapan was founded by Itzas from Chichen Itza on a previously inhabited locale. Other chronicles suggest a Katun 8 Ahau date. To make a long story short, the founding of Mayapan could have taken place anytime between 1007-1283, and included multiple founding events. Further excavations and studies are needed to help resolve the issue, though most researchers agree that the destruction of Mayapan occurred during a Katun 8 Ahau in 1440-1460 CE.
Despite the fact that the city was destroyed by civil war in the end, it was a vibrant cultural and economic power. Long distance traders and foreign ideas were welcomed into the city. There is evidence of Aztec influence in some of the mural paintings. It has even been suggested that the Aztec had their eye on the city as a future vassal state. The city had a cosmopolitan atmosphere and an expanded world view.
There was however, apparently low-level feuding between these groups which eventually broke out into open warfare. The Xiu, perhaps, felt they were being marginalized. Some of the construction at the site seems to support this as certain buildings intruded into older sections and blocked them off from their ceremonial precinct. The main focus of this feud seems to have been with the Ahau Katun calendar used by the Maya at this time. Both groups had different beginning and ending Ahau calendar dates which caused the same ritual events to be held at different times. There was an attempt at a compromise, but still it was insufficient.
Ultimately, as told in the chronicles, the Xiu revolted and wiped out the ruling Cocóm. The Xiu later abandoned the site and returned to their homeland in the Puuc Hills.
The feud between the Xiu and the Cocóm didn’t end there however, and continued into the Spanish Colonial Period, to the benefit of the Spanish. An infamous event took place during the early part of the Colonial Era. During an extended drought the Xiu wished to undertake a pilgrimage to the sacred well at Chichen Itza to make offerings. They were granted safe passage by the Cocóm who controlled Chichen at the time. At the site of Otzmal the entire pilgrimage group, which included important Xiu dignitaries, was wiped out by Cocóm warriors.
The first chronicler to mention Mayapan was Gaspar Antonio Chi (1531-1610), son of the priest Napuc Chi, a Xiu dignitary of royal blood who was mortally wounded by the Nachi Cocóm at Zotuta in 1536. Gaspar was an interpreter and historical informant for bishop Diego de Landa. Landa described Mayapan as a cosmopolitan center that housed Central Mexican warriors, along with representatives of the principal lineage houses from across the Yucatan peninsula.
The next report on the site was done by those intrepid explorers John Lloyd Stevens and Frederick Catherwood in 1841. Their book, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, is an amazing read and contains some very well executed engravings of the main pyramid and the Round Temple.
Brasseur de Bourbourg arrived in 1865. He also produced drawings of the Pyramid of Kukulcan and the Round Temple. A lightning strike caused the collapse of the round temple shortly after his visit. The drawings by both Catherwood and Bourbourg were critical in the structure’s restoration. He also produced a drawing of Stela 1 in its original location in front of the Temple of Kukulkan. Shortly after this visit, Stela 1 was moved to its current location, set in a wall in the entrance of the now abandoned Hacienda Xcanchakan.
The next explorer of note is Augustus Le Plongeon in 1882. There followed Sylvanus Morley and Thomas Gann in 1918, among others. The first large scale site survey was initiated by R.T. Patton in 1938. The Carnegie Institution began an extensive documentation of the site in1948.
INAH, originally under the direction of archaeologist Carlos Peraza, began excavations and restorations in the 1990’s that continue to this day.
There are a few cenotes (natural wells) within and without the core center. There have been reports of rain ceremonies still being performed at one of the more remote cenotes.
The small neighboring town of Telchaquillo has an ancient church at its entrance. It was common practice throughout Spanish Mexico to use the ready cut stone blocks from the “pagan” structures to construct their churches and other buildings resulting in wide spread destruction to many sites. It is interesting to see here some of the ornamented stone blocks from Mayapan conspicuously placed on the façade of the church. The Mayapan area was quite a distance from Merida in the 1500’s, and the isolated Catholic priests were perhaps attempting to appease the local indigenous people by incorporating these architectural relics into their church.
STRUCTURES
The core area of Mayapan contains numerous groups of structures that surround several plazas and courtyards. The elliptical walled area is large, and many smaller structural groups are found within, some near the original entrances to the site.
The core area is very compact, and easily visited. Research has indicated that several early structures were razed to the ground in order to construct new buildings. These early structures exhibited Puuc style finished stonework, and some of the decorative stone was reused in later constructions. Many of the later constructions are colonnaded buildings set on a platform base with a terrace set in front. They had flat, wood beam roofs as exemplified in East Coast Style architecture found at sites like Tulum and Xelha. Benches and altars are also common to these structures. It is possible that these buildings were civic in nature, and were occupied by the different lineage houses represented at the site.
The Central Plaza is the principal plaza and houses many of the notable structures. The Pyramid of Kukulcan/the Feathered Serpent, Structure Q-162, is set on the south side of the Central Plaza The pyramid has a base that measures 323 square feet/30 meters square, and rises up on 9 tiers to a height of 59 feet/18 meters. The pyramid has stairways on all four sides that lead up to a multi-chamber, serpent temple displaying four entryways, with the main entryway facing north. Serpent heads, like those seen at Chichen Itza were located at the base of the north stairway, though made of stucco and not stone. Stucco serpent heads are also seen at the base of the Castillo stairway in El Meco outside of Cancun, perhaps indicating a shared tradition.
Excavations of the southeast corner of the Castillo revealed the substructure of an earlier pyramid. Stucco reliefs depicting birds and human figures were uncovered with three of the human figures having their heads replaced with a niche that held the remains of a human skull. The figures have outstretched arms resembling bee wings.
In many respects this is a smaller version of the Castillo at Chichen Itza. The difference here is that the number of steps of the four sides equal to 260 which is the number of days in the sacred calendar, the Tzolkin. At Chichen the number of stairs, including the temple platform at top, equal to 365 which is the number of days in the civil calendar, or Haab. Also, while the Castillo at Chichen Itza displays the shadow of a serpent during the Spring Equinox, the pyramid at Mayapan shows the shadow of the serpent during the Winter Solstice.
There is a great view of the surrounding area from the summit temple.
In front of the pyramid is a series of stone blocks that form a mostly buried circular platform, Structure Q-84. It is believed to have been a type of stelae platform as researchers have recovered stelae fragments, and have identified that this was the probable location of Stela 1.
Adjacent to the west side of the pyramid is Structure Q-80, also known as the Hall of the Kings. A single-chamber building exhibits a series of columns that again reminds one of the same type of groupings found at Chichen Itza, but on a much smaller scale. Excavation of the colonnaded hall have yielded several well-preserved Chen Mul effigy incense burners, a distinctive ceramic style associated with the site. The interesting thing to note here is that at the base of some of these columns are the remains of original stuccoed feet. It is reported that during excavations molded stucco faces were recovered that once graced the columns. It is amazing to think that these now plain columns were once graced with full sized stucco representations of warriors, priests, or kings. With the similarities to Chichen Itza in some of the structures one can only imagine if the Temple of a Thousand Columns was once similarly adorned. It would have been a stunning sight.
Attached to the pyramid on the east sides is a colonnaded building, the Room of the Paintings/Hall of the Frescos, Structure Q-161, that contains the still visible remains of vibrantly colored wall murals. These murals depict Sun discs flanked by warriors, eight of which are still partially preserved, and share many characteristics of Mixteca-Puebla style murals seen at Tulum, and Santa Rita in Belize. Researchers have recently observed that the Sun rises above the Round Temple and illuminates the Sun discs on certain days in April and August/September, and has calendrical associations. The descending figure within the solar disc may represent an aspect of Venus.
In the plaza in front of the pyramid are a series of small platforms, the largest being dubbed the Dancers Platform, Structure Q-77.
Just off the southeast corner of the pyramid is the Chen Mul Cenote. Adjacent to the cenote is Structure Q-153.The two-chamber temple is set on the west side of a small plaza, here called the Southeast Plaza, and is entered between twin columns. A wide bench and altar are found within the building. Remains of an earlier structure were found underneath.
The center of the Southeast Plaza features two, small single-chamber temple platforms set on raised platform bases. One faces East, the other North. The east side of the plaza has a high, partially excavated mound showing a colonnaded superstructure, and at least two other smaller mound structures. The south side of the plaza has not been cleared or restored, though a large colonnaded structure with a broad central stairway has been identified. Numerous other mounds are situated further behind in an area not open to the public.
On the north side of the Southeast Plaza is a large temple complex set on a raised platform. A colonnaded building, Hall of the Chaac Masks/Structure Q-151, faces onto the plaza. This building exhibits two rows of interior columns and has a length of about 143 feet/43.5 meters, and width of around 30 feet/9.10 meters. Chaac masks with the same dimensions as seen at Kabah are clearly visible, and may be an indication that they originally came from there. An underground cave passage has been identified that runs from the Chen Mul cenote to the Round Temple directly underneath the Hall of Chaac Masks. It is here on this building that one can also see some of the same decorative, carved stone motifs as were incorporated into the façade of the church at neighboring Telchaquillo.
The most prominent of the temple complex structures is the Round Temple, Structure Q-152, reminiscent of the El Caracol at Chichen Itza. A stairway is situated on the west side that leads to a terrace that surrounds the Round Temple. Bourbourg’s drawing of the Round Temple shows several stelae set/lying on the terrace. This is a very stark, plain, solidly built structure set on its own platform base with entrances on all four sides aligned with the cardinal directions. These entrances open into a vaulted pathway that bends around the interior containing 4 recessed niches that still retain traces of a mural. The layout of the building has no interior stairway or viewing windows such as exhibited at the El Caracol observatory at Chichen.
However, astronomical observations have been clearly observed through the entryways from the viewpoint of the niches. Recently, researchers have suggested that the Round Temple, along with the Room of the Paintings and Kukulkan Pyramid, were used in astronomical/calendrical alignments and computations involving the Sun and Venus.
The structure was severely damaged by lightning in 1869. Fortunately, previous drawings had been made of it by Frederick Catherwood, and Brasseur de Bourbourg, and the building has since been restored. The drawing by Catherwood however, shows the upper section of the building with a more tapered look, and a double medial molding. Traces of blue paint were recorded on the building’s exterior during reconstruction.
On the east side of the Round Temple terrace is a colonnaded building, Structure 152c, with a stairway that faces east across a courtyard. A separate, nicely restored temple-platform structure is set to the southeast of the temple complex. It is at ground level on a raised, two-tiered platform base, and faces to the south. This building has a single-chamber, summit temple entered between twin columns and exhibits a broad central stairway.
The Chaac masks adorning the structures, and other decorative stonework in this area, is typical of Puuc architecture and would appear to identify this area with the Xiu lineage.
The east side of the Central Plaza features several restored colonnaded buildings, some attached to the Round Temple complex. Within a building on the northeast corner of this group, Structure Q88a, a nicely carved sculpture of a jaguar was recovered.
The west side of the Central Plaza is taken up by two, low platforms housing Structures Q-70 and Q-72. These buildings display a series of columns with plaza-facing terraces and stairways. Set between, and just behind these buildings, is Stricture Q-71/Venus platform. The Venus temple platform faces west across the West Plaza, and may have been used for observing Venus in the night sky.
On the west side of the West Plaza is a rather large building that exhibits the standard layout of an interior space featuring two rows of columns that once supported a flat wood roof. The building faces east across the West Plaza to the Venus Platform.
Fronting the Central Plaza on the north side is another temple complex housing Structures Q79-82. The main building here is the Temple of the Turtles, Structure Q-81. Connected to it on the east side is the nicely decorated Temple of the Warriors Structure Q-82.
The Temple of the Warriors forms the west side of the Northeast Plaza. Its stairway is flanked at the top by serpent heads and leads up to a small terrace. The two-chamber building is at the back of the terrace and is accessed between two columns.
The center of the Northeast Plaza features three small platform shrines, two with east-facing steps. The east side of the plaza features a very long colonnaded structure with a shrine/altar along the center of the back wall.
The Temple of the Fisherman, Structure Q-95, is located on the north side of the Northeast Plaza and faces south onto the plaza. This important two-chamber temple structure is set on a platform base that measures about 57 feet/17.4 meters by 69 feet/21 meters. The west chamber has a beautifully painted floor with still vivid colors depicting a range of marine creatures, and a richly attired male figure. A must see at this site.
The open west side of the plaza forms the east side of the North Plaza, and houses two structures of note. The Temple of the Niches, Structure Q-80, anchors the south side of the plaza. This building is set against the backside of the Temple of the Turtles with a narrow pathway between them, and contains seven vaulted chambers. One of the chambers displays a multi-colored, painted scene of five temple facades arranged around inset niches that act as faux entryways. The overall imagery may be associated with the five cycles of Venus equating to eight tropical years.
The west side of the North Plaza is anchored by the inappropriately named Crematorium, Structure Q-58. This is the second tallest structure at the site with a height of about 26 feet/8 meters. A two-chamber temple is set at the summit of the 4-tiered pyramid entered between twin columns. Burials have been discovered within the pyramid base.
There are numerous other structures and platforms located throughout the core area. This is a very well maintained and enjoyable site.
updated octuber 2024
Steven Mellard © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.