Spanning the entire Yucatan peninsula and extending into southern Mexico and northern Central America, the empire of the Maya was one of the longest-lived and most accomplished of all ancient Mesoamerican cultures. Though early Pre-Columbian settlements have been dated to almost 5,000 BC, the reign of the Maya began around 2,000 BC, and though they experienced a period of decline around the year 900 AD, Maya civilization still flourished when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. Today all that is left of this once-proud people are their indigenous descendents, who keep the Maya languages and folklore alive, and the ruins of their great cities, stone monoliths that serve as our major clues as to their lives, architecture, and society.
A site of chief importance in the study and further understanding of Mayan history, not to mention an increasingly large tourist draw, is the city of Palenque. Located in Chiapas, Mexico, huge numbers of archaeologists and anthropologists have unearthed over 2.5 square kilometers of ruins. This is only about one tenth of the territory of the city in its heyday, and many scientists are convinced that thousands of uncovered buildings still lie couched under the steamy jungle canopy. Work to excavate the site and continue decoding its secrets continues side-by-side with the tourists who come to marvel at Palenque's many wonders.
The Palenque Site
The site itself is a bit isolated, lying about 130 km south of Ciudad del Carmen. Hidden deep within the jungle, as you travel there you'll begin to feel the encroaching restlessness of the blossoming rainforests which the ancient Maya carved out their homes from. The city itself is made of white and gray stones which rise majestically from the green canopy, and are covered with stylized hieroglyphics, Mesoamerica's first system of writing having been one of the Maya's chief accomplishments.
Infiltrated by the Forest
In the hundreds of years since Palenque's abandonment to the creeping jungle flora, the city and its forest surroundings have become almost inextricably intertwined. Between crack and crevice, a variety of grasses, vines, and flowers not flourish, posing a problem for archaeologists, but providing a wonderful example of nature's resilience for the rest of us.
The Palenque excavation has uncovered a host of incredible buildings, like the Temple of the Inscriptions, which as the name might suggest is covered in hieroglyphic writing. There is a large complex of buildings and gardens thought to be a palace, soaring ziggurat-like pyramids, numerous bas-relief carvings and sculptures, and even one of history's first aqueducts which was used to transport water around the city. Some of the most creative and best-preserved artifacts, like bowls and other pottery, have been recovered at this site, which has revealed more and more secrets about Mayan daily life, technology, and architectural prowess as scientists continue to study it.
The priests at Palenque were also some of the first to break rank with established astrological and theological doctrine, forecasting the end of the 13th cycle, popularly believed to be 2012 AD, as not to occur until the more distant future of 4772 AD. This date, they predicted, would see the re-ascension of the King Pascal the Great, one of the most powerful rulers of Palenque, to the throne.
A site of chief importance in the study and further understanding of Mayan history, not to mention an increasingly large tourist draw, is the city of Palenque. Located in Chiapas, Mexico, huge numbers of archaeologists and anthropologists have unearthed over 2.5 square kilometers of ruins. This is only about one tenth of the territory of the city in its heyday, and many scientists are convinced that thousands of uncovered buildings still lie couched under the steamy jungle canopy. Work to excavate the site and continue decoding its secrets continues side-by-side with the tourists who come to marvel at Palenque's many wonders.
The Palenque Site
The site itself is a bit isolated, lying about 130 km south of Ciudad del Carmen. Hidden deep within the jungle, as you travel there you'll begin to feel the encroaching restlessness of the blossoming rainforests which the ancient Maya carved out their homes from. The city itself is made of white and gray stones which rise majestically from the green canopy, and are covered with stylized hieroglyphics, Mesoamerica's first system of writing having been one of the Maya's chief accomplishments.
Infiltrated by the Forest
In the hundreds of years since Palenque's abandonment to the creeping jungle flora, the city and its forest surroundings have become almost inextricably intertwined. Between crack and crevice, a variety of grasses, vines, and flowers not flourish, posing a problem for archaeologists, but providing a wonderful example of nature's resilience for the rest of us.
The Palenque excavation has uncovered a host of incredible buildings, like the Temple of the Inscriptions, which as the name might suggest is covered in hieroglyphic writing. There is a large complex of buildings and gardens thought to be a palace, soaring ziggurat-like pyramids, numerous bas-relief carvings and sculptures, and even one of history's first aqueducts which was used to transport water around the city. Some of the most creative and best-preserved artifacts, like bowls and other pottery, have been recovered at this site, which has revealed more and more secrets about Mayan daily life, technology, and architectural prowess as scientists continue to study it.
The priests at Palenque were also some of the first to break rank with established astrological and theological doctrine, forecasting the end of the 13th cycle, popularly believed to be 2012 AD, as not to occur until the more distant future of 4772 AD. This date, they predicted, would see the re-ascension of the King Pascal the Great, one of the most powerful rulers of Palenque, to the throne.
About the Author:
The Onejungle Travel Community is where Travelers to Mexico and the Yucatan can find a great deal of travel and trip ideas. More information on Mayan Ruins can be found at: Mayan Ruins Articles.
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