 |
|
|
 Vallarta Living | Art Talk | November 2006 
The Best Mayan Artifacts
 Virginia Linn - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
| | Pyramids, temples, palaces, observatories and ball courts are common to many of the hundreds of Classic Mayan sites throughout Mexico, and Central America. |
If you want to learn more about the ancient Mayas, where do you go?
That's the fun part, because depending on your sense of adventure and stamina, you can seek out ruins still cloaked in lush tropical forests and accessible only through back jungle trails or find some close to airports or beach resorts that are merely a bus ride away.
Pyramids, temples, palaces, observatories and ball courts are common to many of the hundreds of Classic Mayan sites throughout Mexico, and Central America. Some are so large "you can get lost on purpose" as part of your exploration, said Marta Barber, president of the Institute of Maya Studies in Miami.
To make the most of your visit, arrange a guided tour. There's a lot of walking in hot, humid weather, so be sure to take bottled water. It's recommended you wear a hat and, most important, comfortable shoes. The steps of many of the structures are narrow and steep (and sometimes slippery) and you usually have to climb well over 100 steps to get to the top.
Mayan archaeologists and enthusiasts suggest these ruins as among the most important or accessible:
Chichen Itza: A day trip from Cancun, this ancient city is the most visited ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula, with an average of 5,000 visitors a day. The six-square-mile site includes a mix of Mayan and Toltec architectural styles. The focal point, the 79-foot-tall pyramid of Kululk, takes on a mystical look twice a year: At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun's shadow creates the illusion of a snake moving down the pyramid.
The tourist floodgates were opened when UNESCO declared Chichen Itza a World Heritage site in 1988, and its structures are threatened by the wear and tear of foot traffic and vandalism.
Uxmal: Pronounced "Oosh-mahl," this well-built, compact site in western Yucatan (about an hour drive from Merida) is in better condition than many other ruins. In his writings, 19th-century explorer John Lloyd Stephens recounted stories of the human sacrifice at the site's tallest temple, the House of the Magician: With the victim still alive, the priest would rip out the heart with a flint knife, and throw the body (allegedly still moving) down the steep steps.
Palenque: "If you want to get a sense of the absolute beauty and grandeur of the height of the Maya, Palenque is one of the most beautiful cities of the world," said Elin Danien, research associate at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Although this site in the foothills of the Chiapas mountains is smaller than Chichen Itza, it boasts some of the grandest buildings, as well as best-preserved bas reliefs. The closest airport is Villahermosa, a two-hour drive from Palenque; the site is a 10-hour car ride from Cancun.
Tikal: The name of this site in Guatemala means "Place of Voices" and it's the largest in Central America. At its peak, Tikal was home to more than 100,000 people and its residential area covered more than 23 square miles, most of which today has not yet been excavated. Penn archaeologists conducted major excavations of Tikal from 1956-70. Tikal is a short plane ride from Guatemala City, or a day trip from the eco-friendly resorts just over the border in Belize.
Copan: In western Honduras, this site has some of the best-preserved carved stone slabs (stelae) and sculpted decorations. Among the highlights is a hieroglyphic stairway. The Mayas often built one temple over another, and excavation through a tunnel by Penn archaeologists has allowed examination of several layers. Copan is a 2-1/2-hour drive from San Pedro Sula in Honduras or four hours from Guatemala City.
Sometimes the smaller sites can be just as rewarding. In western Belize last summer, my family and I visited Xunantunich, reached by crossing the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry that carries one car at a time. We arrived about 9 a.m. and had the entire site to ourselves for more than an hour. Its 130-foot central pyramid is noted for its restored frieze showing a mask with ear ornaments that represented the sun god, flanked by signs for the moon, Venus and different days.
Overall, only a small portion of most of the Mayan sites have been excavated, so work is ongoing.
"If you went to a ruin 15 years ago, you can return now and you're amazed at what's been discovered and excavated," said Barber, the Mayan enthusiast from Miami.
"For us who love the subject, we love to go back and see what has been accomplished." |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us