Chacmultún
Chacmultún is a Mayan ruin site in the Mexican state of Yucatán .
Toponym
In the Mayan language of Yucatán , Chacmultún roughly means "hill of red stones". As in many cases in Mesoamerican culture, it is unknown whether the place had the same name in its heyday.
location
Chacmultún (village and ruins) are about 128 kilometers (driving distance) south of Mérida and about 7 kilometers southwest of the modern small town of Tekax . Several other sites in the Puuc region ( Labná , Xlapak , Sayil ) are a maximum of 50 kilometers to the west.
history
Little is known about the early history of Chacmultún - the first traces of settlement are dated to around 300 AD. Most of the sites in the Puuc region were settled late or began comparatively late (7th / 8th century AD) the construction of cities with stone temples and palaces. The site was finally abandoned around 1200 AD - only hunters and later chicle collectors knew of the site's existence.
The first researcher was Teobert Maler , who wrote a report, drew precise plans and took a number of excellent photographs. A detailed study was made a short time later by Edward Thompson . A short study by Antonio Benavides should also be mentioned, but without even mentioning the upper structures of the Xeth Pool . After isolated consolidations, excavations have been taking place since around 2000, mainly in the area of the lower level of the central group and at the ball playground.
Ruin site
The ruins that can be assigned to the Puuc zone are formed by four spatially separated groups: the central group ( grupo central ) close to the Chacmultún group, which gives the place its name ; beyond the parking lot the ball playground ; further south the group Cabalpak and to the east on a steep hill the group Xeth Pool . What all groups have in common is the lack of a large, multilevel temple pyramid - the construction of palaces etc. was clearly in the foreground of the interest of the builders.
Chacmultun group and central group
The Chacmultun group (to which the coordinates in the head of the article refer) lies on a large and high terrace, to which several steps lead up and the southern and eastern fronts of which are formed by a series of rooms. Such a series of rooms is quite unique in Maya architecture and is otherwise only found in Uxmal .
- Building 1
On the surface of the large terrace in the east is a rectangular palace building with several rooms that are arranged around a massive core. The building originally comprised around 20 rooms. A wide staircase leads up from the south side and an unusually narrow staircase from the west to the roof level, on which an additional floor was undoubtedly planned. Immediately next to a badly damaged side wing on the north side are three portals, which are composed of only a few large stone slabs.
The facade corresponds to the classic Puuc column style. The lower wall surface above a simple plinth is smooth and undecorated. The entrances are partially designed with two pillars and overlying striker plates . The middle cornice consists of three bands, with a serpentine motif in the middle. The upper wall surface shows columns with two ties and, at intervals, the representation of house entrances under a smooth roof with decorations in the upper part. What is meant here are possibly - in contrast to the usual pattern - buildings with smooth stone roofs. The upper cornice is designed in a similar way to the middle one, however, numerous spherical stones ( phalli ?) Protrude from the middle band .
- Building 2
This building is unique with its almost square floor plan and other details. It essentially consists of a massive block of wall with no interior spaces. Only at the back is there a narrow entrance that leads to a narrow, blind-ending corridor running parallel to the rear wall. At the front, a wide staircase leads up to the undeveloped roof level. On both sides of the stairs there is a room with a single entrance. The use of this massive structure is completely unclear.
- Building 3
Building 3, which is slightly lower and has three wings, comprises a total of 16 rooms; On the back wall of room 10 there is an (altar) plate and poorly preserved paintings that were interpreted as depicting a procession.
Ball court
Near the central group is the 'H' -shaped ball playground with its side slopes, which were intended for rolling the solid rubber ball back into the playing field. The stairs at the back, which lead directly down to one of the side play areas, are unusual.
Cabalpak group
The well-preserved building 5 (coordinates 20 ° 10 ′ 12.8 ″ N , 89 ° 20 ′ 41.4 ″ W ) is at the foot of a hill, on the slope above which there are heavily damaged buildings with open spaces in front of them on several levels. There are three rooms on either side of a wide central staircase; the overlying roof fronts show the usual decor of rows of columns in the middle of cornice-like projections.
With its strict axial symmetry and the rear or overlaying staggering the buildings of Cabalpac complex after its completion must have provided an absolutely unique sight.
Xeth Pool Group
The group (coordinates 20 ° 10 ′ 8.6 ″ N , 89 ° 20 ′ 19.6 ″ W ) consists of several buildings that are arranged on the top of a hill and its crest and at least partially give the impression of a multi-storey complex . The roof fronts of this complex are structured by surrounding cornices, but largely devoid of decoration. Some of the interiors of the main building have stone benches on the back wall.
photos
Ball court
Cabalpak building
Group Xeth Pool , lower building
Group Xeth Pool , upper building
Individual evidence
- ^ Teobert painter : Península Yucatán . Ed. Hanns J. Prem . Gebr. Mann, Berlin 1997, ISBN 3-7861-1755-1 .
- ^ Edward H. Thompson . Archaeological researches in Yucatan . Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of American Archeology and Etrhnology, Harvard University, vol. III, no.1, Cambridge 1904.
- ^ Antonio Benavides Castillo: Chacmultún: una ciudad maya del Puuc . In: Cuadernos de arquitectura mesoamericana , no 6, pp. 17-25. México 1985.
See also
Web links
Coordinates: 20 ° 10 ′ 21.6 " N , 89 ° 20 ′ 41.8" W.