![]() In the 1920s, when archaeologist Raymond Merwin first visited the site, this foreign-owned company harvested the oil of the cohune palm (also called rain tree, American oil palm, and corozo palm) native to Yucatan Peninsula and Central America. The city’s exotic-sounding name comes not from the Mayan language but from a corruption of the name of a nearby farm, called Cohune Ridge. Some people are thought to have inhabited buildings whose original purpose was religious or ceremonial. Although the molded stucco masks that the site is famous for are reminiscent of the Peten building style of northern Guatemala, architectural elements such as vaulted interiors and false stairways on the façade show ties with the Rio Bec cities of southern Campeche.īy 1200 all construction had come to a halt and the inhabitants began to move from the center of the city to the outskirts, for reasons unknown. Archaeologists recognize the living quarters by built-in sleeping bunks, niches, and other elements.īuildings were originally plastered and painted-often bright red-and adorned with figures and geometric designs painted in complementary colors. Another building, called the 27-Steps Compound, was most likely the residence of the ruling family. Radiating out from a plaza of the same name were residential buildings, some housing a cadre of highly skilled artisans who made flint tools and shell artifacts. Administrative duties may have been carried out in the Palace of the Stelas (el Palacio de las Estelas) in the center of the site. In addition to buildings for religious ceremonies, Kohunlich served as a governmental center for the area. ![]() Because the archaeological site receives relatively few visitors, you can still clamber up the structure to get a close look at these monumental pieces of art, which are in surprisingly good condition. Five of the original eight masks survive, flanking a central staircase. The pyramid-shaped building is adorned with three-meter-tall masks representing both the ruling family and the sun god, Kinich Ahau. The most important ceremonial building during the city’s life, the Temple of the Giant Masks faces the setting sun. It makes sense that most of its buildings were constructed during this golden era of civilization, and the Temple of the Giant Masks (El Templo de los Mascarones) is no exception. But it reached its height of civilization in the so-called Classic Period, around AD500-600. Like many Maya cities from the region, Kohunlich was founded about 200 years BCE (before the Common Era, or BC ). It’s trickier by bus, as these follow Highway 186 between Chetumal and Escárcega but do not enter the 9-km service road that leads to the ruins. One of the less visited ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula, Kohunlich is easily accessible by car from Chetumal and southern Campeche.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |