Overview
THE BEAUTY OF ITS MAJESTIC BUILDINGS AND SCULPTURES IS UNIQUE EVEN AMONG THE MAYAN TREASURES AND WILL SURELY CONQUER YOUR HEART
Brief History and Description
Ek Balam was a very rich Mayan capital which was founded by E’ek Ba’alam which means Black Jaguar. Its buildings are gorgeous, a real work of art. Visiting Ek Balam is a must-see for any traveller.
It was founded around 300 B. C. The population was spread out in a 12 square kilometer area. However, the elite dwelled in a one square kilometer area that was considered a sacred place and is also where the main buildings were located.
Its main buildings are:
1.- The Acropolis.- This is the 2nd biggest Maya building in the Yucatan peninsula. It was richly ornamented by stucco sculptures and affrescoes that represent the very essence of the Mayan world view. Its beauty is unique even among the Mayan works of art and will surely delight you.
Inside the Acropolis there is a place known as Sak Xok Nahh which means the Reading White House that served as a royal grave for a governor called Ukit Kan Le’t Tok. The facade of this room is fully decorated by exquisite stucco sculptures.
2.- Oval Palace.- There are very few elliptical and cylindrical Mayan buildings in Yucatan and the Oval Palace is one of them. It is a snake that represents the spiral shape of the milky way according to some theories and also may have been an observatory. You can take very beautiful pictures from its top.
3.- Regarding the other buildings, they were probably used as astronomical clocks and observatories. Remember that the Mayan invested thousands and thousands of years, from generation to generation, watching, gazing and studying the sky (stars, planets, constellations, etc). That’s why Mayan astronomers, mathematicians and architects were able to build such highly precise astronomical clocks which indicated to them the agricultural cycles, which was vital to preserving their way of life.
There are some stelas in this site that represent different governors of Ek Balam. These characters were considered well educated people and passed on their power from father to son to grandson, forming long dynasties.
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