Dzibilchaltún
Dzibilchaltún ('place of flat stones') is a Maya ruin site in the Mexican state of Yucatán . With an area of 16 square kilometers and around 8000 buildings documented during the survey, the city is one of the largest archaeological sites in the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula .
location
Dzibilchaltún is at a height of about 9 m above sea level. d. About 23 km (driving distance) north of Mérida in the bush forest of the Yucatán peninsula. It is another 20 km to the port city of Progreso on the Caribbean coast .
history
A first settlement of the place can be proven for the 9th century BC. However, the population did not increase until about 250 BC. And reached its peak with approx. 40,000 inhabitants at the end of the classical period around 830 AD. Most of the inscriptions on the ruling dynasty date from this period. Construction activity and population decreased again between the 11th and 13th centuries, but the place remained settled until the colonial era, as a small open chapel ( Capilla abierta ) in the ruins shows .
Attractions
- Temple of the Dolls
- The so-called 'Temple of the Seven Dolls' ( Templo de las siete muñecas ) is the most important building in Dzibilchaltún; it is located at the end of a processional street ( sacbé ) and takes its name from seven clay figurines found inside and now on display in the local museum. The building with its house-like, two-storey roof structure was completely hidden under a later - but poorly preserved - overbuilding, which was completely removed when it was uncovered in 1950. The building, located on the top of a not very high temple pyramid, shows stone masks on the protruding eaves in Puuc style , which, with their simple geometric construction and protruding 'nose', are reminiscent of later masks of the rain god Chaac . Like later Yucatan temples ( pyramid of Kukulcán and others) the temple consists of a central cella and a right-angled gallery; both are covered by stone cantilever vaults. The wooden struts improve the stability of the vaults only slightly, but they were useful - in residential buildings - for hanging food supplies and everyday items and were adopted in temples and palace buildings. The lintels originally consisted of wooden beams, which were replaced by concrete lintels during the stabilization and restoration measures. The building has astronomical references to the equinox and has therefore been referred to as the 'observatory'. Due to its rather simple shape, the building will be in the 6th / 7th centuries. Dated century.
- Stele platforms
- In the vicinity of the temple there are three platforms with upright, but reliefless steles - perhaps they were formerly covered with stucco and painted.
- Structure # 36
- The purpose of the building not far from the chapel is unclear - there is no trace of a stone temple top; nor were any post holes found for a wooden temple structure. It could therefore be a so-called 'ceremonial platform', but these are usually not that high.
- Open chapel ( capilla abierta )
- In the 16th century, the Spaniards built an open chapel ( capilla abierta ) for the conversion and religious instruction of the Indians, who were not used to attending the ceremonies held by the priests in closed rooms and therefore refused to enter churches for a long time . In front of the flat inner rear wall of the simple, arched building with small turrets stands an altar - above it there are two niches. The building is also opened on the south side through an arch. Only a few of the many open chapels of the early Spanish colonial era have been preserved (e.g. in Cuernavaca ); most of them were later demolished and replaced by church buildings.
- Structure # 44
- To the south of the chapel is a walled rectangular plaza sometimes called an 'amphitheater'. The walls are crowned by battlements, but it is assumed that at least the foundation walls date from pre-Hispanic times.
- Cenote
- The Cenote Xlakah, which was once important for the water supply of the Maya city, is partly overgrown with water lilies and is now used by many tourists as a pool. Similar to Chichén Itzá , the Cenote was also worshiped by the Mayans. At its bottom at a depth of about 44 m, divers discovered thousands of ceramic shards etc.
museum
The local museum has an abundance of stelae and other finds from the Mayan period. Stone evidence (grave slabs, coats of arms, etc.) from the colonial era are also on display.
See also
literature
- Wolfgang Gockel : Mexico. The Central Highlands and Yucatán - From Mayan and Aztec sites to Baroque churches and convents. DuMont, Cologne 1998, p. 308ff, ISBN 3-7701-4410-4 .
- Nikolai Grube (Ed.): Maya. God kings in the rainforest . Könemann-Verlag, Cologne 2000, ISBN 3-8290-1564-X .
Web links
Coordinates: 21 ° 5 '27.6 " N , 89 ° 35' 25.1" W.