Ek Balam Part 7 of 7: The spectacular tomb of Ek Balam's greatest ruler

Two "Warrior Angels" adorn the facade of the ruler's tomb. The tomb of Ukit Kan Lek Tok' is on the fourth level of the Acropolis. It wasn't discovered until the beginning of the 21st century because it had been deliberately covered over by the ancient Maya. In fact, serious archeological excavations at Ek Balam itself didn't begin until the mid-1990s. The tomb's facade contains several other statues, some intact and some beheaded, but all were carved with equal artistry. Along with the statues are numerous hieroglyphs and other decorations. The tomb's interior contained thousands of artifacts.

In this final part of my Ek Balam series, I will focus on the tomb, its exquisite stucco statues, and the meaning behind some of its decorations. Ukit Kan Lek Tok' was described as a "foreigner" on glyphs found at Ek Balam. He probably came from southern Yucatan, bringing with him the Rio Bec and Chenes styles of art and architecture. He founded the Talol dynasty in 770 AD and probably died around 802 AD. His dynasty lasted 100 years, until 870 AD. During Ukit Kan Lek Tok's rule, he built Ek Balam's Acropolis and also constructed many of the other important structures within the city. 

The entrance of Tomb is through the mouth of the Witz Monster

The tomb is located on the west side of the Central Staircase on the fourth level. A hieroglyph painted on the capstone just inside the door names the tomb Sak Xok Naah (translated as "White House of Respect" or "White House of Reading"). Large panels of hieroglyphs decorated the walls on either side of the main door. The terrace in front of the main door has fangs, making it look like the lower jaw of a monster. More fangs line both sides of the door and the area above it. The base of the terrace is lined with stylized fish and lillies, an important symbolic link to water. There are two staircases, one on either side. 

The city of Ek Balam contains a mix of archeological styles from various regions of the Maya world. These include Petén (northern Guatemala), Puuc (northwestern Yucatan), and Rio Bec (southern Yucatan Peninsula). The monster fangs and ornate hieroglyphic designs are features of the Chenes style. This style flourished in the central lowlands of the Yucatan Peninsula from 600 AD-800 AD and geographically overlaps the Rio Bec style. The fact that the Chenes style was used on Ukit Kan Lok Tek's tomb strongly suggests he may have been from that area. 

View of the tomb's fangs and hieroglyphic panels. The Warrior Angels can be seen in the upper right corner. To the right of the main door is another, smaller one. A similar door can be seen to the left of the main door in the previous photo. The area around the main door was constructed to resemble the face of a monster, with two eyes, a nose, and a lower jaw with jutting teeth. The open door is the gaping mouth. All this wasn't just whimsey, but represents the face of an important mythical figure that the Maya called the Witz Monster. 

The Witz Monster, also known as the Earth Monster, was the personification of mountains, caves with water, and the world of the dead (Xibalba). The Witz Monster was also connected with maiz and was sometimes portrayed with an ear of maiz sprouting from its head. Caves were often important water sources, creating another link to the Witz Monster. Finally, caves were believed to be entrances to Xibalba. The face of a Chenes-style Witz Monster would therefore have been an appropriate facade for the tomb of a king from the Chenes region. 

The room on the right side of the tomb was built to resemble a Maya hut, called a nah. Many rural Maya still live in huts shaped like this. A traditional nah is constructed with upright sticks covered with mud, with a thatched roof. The style is called wattle-and-daub. Images of a Maya nah are displayed in a variety of elite Maya structures. An example of this can be found at the Nun's Quadrangle at Uxmal. I remain puzzled as to why an imitation of a commoner's hut would appear next to the royal tomb of Ek Balam's High King, or as a decoration on the wall of an elite palace at Uxmal. 

The stucco roof of the imitation nah contains another monster face. The projection in the middle is the nose, with a row of teeth below. The eyes are in the upper corners of the rectangular structure from which the nose projects. Although it is all quite abstract, if you look closely you can make it out. The purpose of this room is not clear, but it may have been constructed to contain the remains of the ruler's relatives. Another possibility is that priests used it to store clothing and other items used in religious ceremonies, similar to a sacristy in a Catholic church.  

The left side of the temple has a similar nah-shaped room. In addition to its front entrance, there is another on the side. The decorative roof seen on the right-side structure is absent from this one. It may have been destroyed during a partial collapse of the upper levels of the Acropolis. The tomb and its two adjacent rooms were deliberately filled with rubble and buried by the Maya some time after the ruler was placed inside. During the following century, the rooms were re-opened and inscriptions were added. Then the tomb complex was re-buried. This process of burial, re-opening, and re-burial was repeated several times.

Glyphs on left side of the tomb's main door. A similar large panel can be found on the right side of the door. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any information about their meaning. The symbols on the two panels are almost identical. However, their arrangement on the two panels are reverse mirror images of each other. Notice the monster face on the right center of the photo. There is a matching face on the right side of the main door. There has been some debate over what mythical figures these faces represent.

A monstrous face decorates the left hieroglyphic panel next to the tomb's door. Some sources say this represent the Witz Monster. Other sources claim that it is the Maiz God. Both of these mythical figures are associated with maiz. My vote, for what it is worth, is for the Witz Monster. The face above has glaring eyes, an open mouth, and large teeth, all typical of the Witz Monster. It also has an ear of corn growing out of the top of its head, another typical aspect. 

The Maiz God images that I have seen show him as a handsome young man with a smooth, attractive face. He is sometimes portrayed carrying maiz ears in his hands or in a pouch on his back, but never growing out of his head. Given that this is a tomb, representing the entrance to the underworld, I believe that the two faces bracketing the tomb's entrance must represent smaller versions of the Witz Monster. 

The tomb's exquisite statues

One of the Warrior Angels stands on the upper right corner of the facade. The two life-sized statues were given this name because of the supposed "wings" sprouting out of their backs. However, I doubt that these actually represent wings. It is more likely that they are feathered cloaks. There is nothing that I could find in Maya mythology about supernatural winged figures in human shape. The concept of angels was not introduced until the Spanish arrived, 700 years after these statues were carved.

The youthful male figure above represents a member of Ek Balam's top nobility. In life, elaborate head dress would have been made of a combination of feathers and paper. The figure wears expensive jade jewelry, including a pendant, ear spools, bracelets, and anklets. His clothing includes an embroidered loincloth and a wide belt that resembles a ball player's protective gear, called a yoke. On the yoke are a series of Xs, symbolizing the divine source of a ruler's power. Hanging over the groin is a pouch that reminds me of the sporran worn with a kilt in Scotland. The pouch is decorated with a grinning human face.

A second Warrior Angel stands a short distance to the left. This statue has an interesting haircut that might actually be a close-fitting cap. Note the statue's elongated skull. Noble parents deliberately shaped the skulls of their infant children in this way in order to mark them as aristocrats. The figure wears a necklace and bracelets of jade. The garment around the hips has dots that may represent the markings on a jaguar's pelt.  Around the waist is another ballplayer' yoke, also decorated with Xs. The figure gazes off to the right, in a posture that suggests a readiness to spring into action. 

Aside from the beautifully-preserved artistry of these statues, I was fascinated with them because they capture a moment in  time. They show, in considerable detail, how the local people (or at least the nobility) saw themselves. It is almost like having a time machine capable of bringing these ancient, long-forgotten people to life. The statues and other images of pre-hispanic people all too often feel stylized and over-decorated. The figures here appear ready to come to life before my eyes.

A headless statue of Ukit Kan Lok Tek' sits directly above the Witz Monster's mouth. The Kalo'mte (High King) occupies a throne above the main door of the tomb. Feathered "wings" spread out on either side. The statue's head and left arm are missing, probably due to the collapse of the wall above. The wide belt resembles a ball player's protective gear and the spherical object near the left foot may be a ball. This suggests that Ukit Kan Lok Tek' was a participant in ball games himself, as well as a sponsor. The face attached to the belt may represent the severed head of a defeated ball game opponent.

When the tomb was opened, archeologists found the ruler's remains, along with more than 7,000 grave goods. These included 21 ceramic and alabaster vessels, as well as a gold frog, jewels of jade and pearl, and shells carved into skulls. Other grave goods were made of flint, bone, and pyrite. In the ruler's hand was a human femur bone. Hieroglyphs on it identified the bone as belonging to Ukit Ahkan, a priest who was the ruler's father. The femur had been carved to a point on one end and may have been used for auto-sacrifice (ritual blood letting). It was not unusual for the Maya to use of the bones of relatives in this way. 

A graceful figure sits casually in the corner of the Witz Monster's left eye. The naturalism in this sculpture is striking. Although Maya sculptors sometimes stylized their depictions of human forms, they are also renowned for their naturalism. The young man above sits with his hand resting on his knee. The other hand extends across his chest, with the fingers casually wrapped around his upper arm. The eyes of his turned head appear to be watching a game being played in the Ball Court below. A modern viewer can instantly relate to this very recognizable human figure.

Within the tomb is another painted capstone. On it, Ukit Kan Lek Tok' is portrayed as the Maiz God, deity of the plant that made pre-hispanic civilizations possible. The interesting thing about this painting is that it shows the High King with a deformed upper lip. This is very unusual, both because he was the ruler and because the Maiz God is normally portrayed as a beautiful young man. In fact, when the ruler's skull was examined, scientists discovered that he had suffered from a disease of the maxillary area. The ancient artist chose--or was allowed--to show him as he was in real life, not as an idealized version.

The corner of the Witz Monster's right eye contains another very natural figure. The headless statue of a young Maya noble sits erect and cross-legged. The clothing, particularly the yoke/belt, suggests yet another ball player. A pendant containing a small face hangs from his neck. Notice the fine details of his hands and feet. I can even make out what appears to be a toenail on the left foot. This statue was apparently another victim of a long-forgotten structural collapse. 

The gold frog found in Ukit Kan Lek Tok's tomb presents an interesting question: where did the gold come from? There were virtually no sources of gold in the Maya area. The nearest sources were in what is now Panama and Costa Rica, or in Central Mexico. The presence of gold in northern Yucatan illustrates the importance of Mesoamerica's long-distance trade networks. Jade was valued even more than gold. Most jade was imported from the Valle Rio Motagua in southern Guatemala, also a long way from Ek Balam. One heavily used trade route was by seagoing canoe along the Caribbean coast from South and Central America.

This statue stands at the far left of the tomb's facade. The head, left forearm, and the entire right arm are all missing. Dangling from the neck is a jade necklace. Around the waist is a ball player's yoke containing Xs. Around the hips is a dotted jaguar pelt. The belt that holds up the pelt appears to be made from large pieces of jade. Dangling in front of the groin is another "sporran" pouch. The upper chest and shoulders are covered by a light, fringed garment. 

Most of the statues on the tomb's facade have certain things in common. All, except for the High King, are slim, athletic-looking young men. All--including the High King--wear a ballplayer's yoke and seem to be associated with the Ball Game. Several of the yokes contain the Xs that represent the divine power of the ruler. The jaguar-pelt hip coverings would only have been allowed for those belonging to the nobility. 

A ruler sits cross-legged on his throne, with his lap covered by an embroidered cloth. The identity of this figure is unknown, but he is clearly royalty. While the statue is located on the same level as the tomb, it sits several meters to the east. In this case, the lack of a head may be deliberate rather than accidental. When an ancient Maya city was conquered, it was standard practice to not only sacrifice the defeated ruler, but also to decapitate or otherwise deface statues and other images of him. 

The figure above wears a jade necklace with a wide collar under it. Around the waist is another wide belt. However, this one does not resemble a ballplayer's yoke and the stone is too worn to tell if there are any Xs. The right hand clutches an object which may be a symbol of power. My best guess is that this is a statue of one of Ukit Kan Lek Tok's dynastic successors.

This completes Part 7 of my Ek Balam series and the series itself. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Ek Balam Part 6 of 7: Temples and hieroglyphs on the Acropolis

 

The Acropolis contains several temples. This view is from the Central Staircase toward the end of the 3rd level of the east wing. The trees in the background are in the middle of Plaza Este, (East Plaza). This plaza is located on the eastern end of the immense platform on which the Acropolis sits. The temple on the left of the photo has hieroglyphic panels on its inside back wall. A staircase separates this temple from another just beyond, which is covered by a thatched palapa. Notice the passageway under the staircase. Such passageways are examples of the influence of the Puuc architectural style found in northwest Yucatan. 

In this posting, I will focus on some of the temples that were built on the six levels of the Acropolis. I'll also show you some of the many hieroglyphs discovered at Ek Balam in the 1990s and 2000s. Translations of some of these hieroglyphs have provided valuable information about Ek Balam's history between 770 AD and 870 AD. This period, known as the Late Classic era, was when the Acropolis was constructed, along with other major structures like the Oval Palace, the Twin Temples, and the Ball Court. For directions to Ek Balam from Valladolid, see Part 1 of this series.

Overview

The layout of the Acropolis. This drawing was made during excavations between 1998 and 2002 by two Mexican archeologists, Leticia Vargas de la Peña and Victor Castillo Borges. Before Vargas and Castillo began their work, little had been done beyond the mapping of Ek Balam. The discoveries they made astonished the archeological world and greatly elevated Ek Balam's importance.

As you can see above, the excavated/reconstructed parts of the Acropolis include the areas around the Central Staircase, the Plaza Oeste (West Plaza), and the ten rooms along the south side of the base platform. The areas that are still un-excavated are Plaza Este (East Plaza) on the east end of the platform and the area to the north of the top of the Central Staircase. There have probably been more excavations and more discoveries since this map was created.

Temples of the Acropolis

On the back wall of this temple, you can see blocks of stone-carved glyphs. The shot is a detail of the temple seen in the first photo. Unfortunately, a barrier prevented me from getting closer. The large number of temples on the Acropolis, as well as the high social status of priests, suggests that some of them must have lived in the Acropolis' 60+ rooms. Ukit Kan Lek Tok' ("Father of the Four Flint Faces") was the founder of the Talol dynasty and the greatest ruler of Ek Balam. While his mother was of royal lineage, his father, Ukit Ahkan, may have been a priest. Ukit Kan Lek Tok' ruled from 770 AD to 802 AD.

Ukit Kan Lek Tok' probably came from the Rio Bec region of southern Yucatan. Ek Balam was only a modest settlement at that time. Many of the great architectural monuments we see today were built during his rule. A smaller building once stood where the Acropolis is now, but it was half as tall and only two thirds as wide. Ukit Kan Lek Tok' launched an extensive building campaign, during which the Acropolis was constructed over top of the smaller building. He also built the Oval Palace and several other major structures. However, the Ball Court was not completed until 841 AD, 39 years after the dynasty's founder died. 

View from the Central Staircase toward the west end of the 2nd level. There are a total of 9 rooms of various lengths along this level, each with one door and no windows. Due to the use of corbel arches, all the rooms are of approximately the same width. The doorways are surprisingly low, even considering the ancient peoples' short heights. The thatched palapas are to protect the glyphs from the elements. Directly below the terrace are the five ground-level rooms on the west wing which were shown in the previous posting.

All of Ukit Kan Lek Tok's dynastic successors left glyphic texts or images that referred to him, often reverently. One text dated, January 8, 814 AD, referred to Ukit Kan Lek Tok' as a "foreign king" who had arrived at Ek Balam forty-four years earlier (770 AD,  the year he took the throne). Another successor, named Kihnich Junpik Tok' K'uh, erected a stela on January 18, 840 AD to commemorate his own accession to the throne. The stela pictures him, but also includes a smaller image of a figure seated on a celestial throne. Text next to the figure says "This is the image of the sacred Kalo'mte' (High King) Ukit Kan Lok Tek'."

Another small temple is located next to the Central Staircase on the west wing. This one is also on the 3rd level. It appears to be the twin of the temple shown in the first photo of this posting. This one lacks only the thatched palapa. I didn't photograph the inside wall, so I don't know if this one also has carved stone hieroglyphic texts, but I wouldn't be surprised. Both the temples have steps that are very steep and narrow. However, there aren't many, so the staircase would probably not be difficult to climb.

The priests associated with these temples were either the offspring of priests or the second sons of nobles. The priesthood was therefore an hereditary position. Novices were trained in reading and writing Maya script and in understanding the Maya calendar. A key part of that calendar related to the proper times to plant or harvest crops. They also learned how to conduct public and private rituals, including sacrifices related to festival days. However, those priests who carried out human sacrifices held a relatively low status. A more influential role was that of chilam (oracular priest), who made prophesies.

A selection of the Acropolis' hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Serpent on the west side of the Central Staircase. I showed you the Hieroglyphic Serpent on the east side of the Staircase in the previous posting. The two Serpents are almost identical. However, the head of this snake is worn and somewhat indistinct, while the east side version is still relatively sharp. By contrast, the twelve glyphs on the tongue of the east side Serpent are worn, while the ones above are still mostly readable.

In the Maya Classic era, there was not a distinct line between a ruler and the priesthood. Maya rulers had many priestly functions and viewed the kingship as a sacred institution. They sometimes served in temples, fasted, prayed, made burnt offerings, and presided at major religious festivals. The legitimacy of rulers was based on their claimed descent from the gods and their ability to act as intermediaries with the divine universe. The capstone over the entrance of Ukit Kan Lek Tok's tomb portrays him as the Maiz God. This was the god of the all-important maiz crop, but also of resurrection and rebirth and the cycle of life.

The Hieroglyphic Serpent's tongue. (drawing by Alfonso Lacadena Garcia-Gallo). The glyphs on the tongue have been partially transcribed to say "It is...the sculpture of the Win Uh, which is the name of the stairway of Kalo'mte' Ukit Kan Kek Tok', sacred king of Talol". The king's name is spelled out in the glyphs on the second from the bottom set. The left glyph on the bottom row is the Emblem Glyph for Ek Balam. Emblem glyphs are symbols identifying royalty, in this case the Talol dynasty, for whom Ek Balam was the capital city. 

Itzamna was the highest-level god within the Maya cosmos and was especially revered by their priests. Other deities that were  important to priests included the Howler Monkey Gods and the Maiz God. These appear in the myth of the Hero Twins covered in Part 3 of this series. An important part of the Hero Twins story was the creation of human beings and the gift of maiz to them. The Maya understood that the world moves in celestial, seasonal, and life cycles. Understanding and interpreting these cycles were important jobs for the priesthood.

The entrance of the temple behind the Hieroglyphic Serpent also contains glyphs. This temple matches the one on the other side of the base of the Central Stairway. The two temples, along with the Serpent monuments in front of them, were constructed after the Acropolis was remodeled. This project included the Central Stairway and the row of ten rooms along the south side's ground level. As stated previously, this temple, along with its twin, may be related to Xibalba (the underworld) because serpents are important symbols of that realm.

About 5,000 texts have been discovered throughout the Maya world. Most were written on stone monuments or ceramic vessels during the Classic period (200 AD-900 AD). About 500 hieroglyphic symbols were widely used, with another 500 used only at a given period of time or in a given location. The Maya texts were not deciphered until the last half of the 20th century. This decipherment revolutionized our understanding of Maya history and culture. Until then, the Maya were believed to be peaceful star-gazers. It turned out that they were just as inclined to warfare and human sacrifice as any of the other Mesoamerican cultures.

Large sections of glyphs can be found in many places on the Acropolis. The earliest texts found anywhere in the Maya world are from the 3rd century BC. The latest were written in the 16th century, during the Spanish conquest. However, Maya scribes may have continued using the ancient texts until the fall of the last independent Maya city-state of Tayasal. It was not conquered by the Spanish until 1697. Very few paper texts survived the Conquest because Spanish Bishop Diego de Landa burned the vast Maya libraries in 1562. Most of the surviving 5000 texts had been carved in stone and often found in remote locations. 

Some hieroglyphs painted on stone have been discovered at Ek Balam. Almost all of these were found in the Acropolis' temples and in the tomb of Ukit Kan Kek Tok'. One of temples on the Acropolis' east side has an extraordinary series of 96 glyphs set in three parallel horizontal rows. They survived the ravages of time and weather because they were deliberately covered over by the ancient Maya. Archeologists were astonished to find the texts when the rooms were excavated. I didn't have an opportunity to photograph the painted texts, but you can view them here. 

Detail from the previous photo of hieroglyphs.. I found this particular glyph in two places in the photo, as well as in my photos of other texts. A series of ten dots surround three sides of the glyph. The Maya used three numerical symbols. A dot represented 1, a horizontal bar represented 5, and a shell shape represented 0. However, I am not certain these dots are numerical, because the ancient people generally arranged the dots and bars horizontally. Only the top four dots are horizontal in the glyph above.

The Acropolis' Plaza Oeste

A temple with a broad staircase stands on the north side of Plaza Oeste. This plaza is located on the western end of the Acropolis platform's second level. A similar, un-excavated plaza called Plaza Este stands on the eastern end. In the right corner of the photo is a broad staircase that descends from one of the upper levels of the Acropolis into Plaza Oeste. I took this photo, as well as the following two, from the fourth level of the Acropolis. However,  lack of time prevented me from exploring this area. The Acropolis is huge and I confess that I only scratched the surface.

A line of dwellings stretches along the western edge of the plaza. These may appear to be on the ground level, but are actually located along the top of the massive west-end wall (Part 5). According to the site map drawn by archeologists Leticia Vargas and Victor Castillo, there are five dwellings in this line of structures. These were likely the homes of members of the extended royal family or possibly of nobles, priests, or high-status functionaries. In the middle of this rather over-grown plaza, you can see a large, stone-lined pit. 

This is the large pit seen in the previous photo. It is shaped like an inverted cone, and lined with cut stones. I couldn't see the bottom of it from my perch on the fourth level, but it appeared quite deep. I estimate it to be about 10m (30ft) across. The pit's size and prominent location in the center of the plaza suggest a significant function in the ceremonies conducted here. As I have mentioned before, the Maya didn't do things randomly when it came to the placement of their public structures. It is not clear whether a similar pit exists in Plaza Este, but given the overall symmetry of the Acropolis, I would not be surprised.

This completes Part 6 of my Ek Balam series. The 7th, and final, part will focus on the tomb of Ukit Kan Lek Tok', and its amazingly well-preserved statues and glyphs. I hope you have enjoyed Part 6. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Ek Balam Part 5 of 7: The Acropolis was built by the city's greatest ruler

 

The Acropolis is the largest and most complicated structure at Ek Balam. It was built on top of an earlier structure by Ukit Kan Lek Tok', who ruled from 770 AD-802 AD and was the city's most powerful monarch. This was his palace and residence and contains his tomb. The huge pyramidal structure also housed many of his relatives and top officials. Since the Acropolis also contains numerous temples, it is likely that Maya priests also occupied some of its many rooms.

Because of its size and complexity, I will devote the last three postings of this series (Parts, 5, 6, and 7) to the Acropolis. In Part 5, I will provide a general idea of its layout and history, as well as showing the ground level and the great central staircase that extends up six levels to the top. Part 6 will look at the second-level temples and their extensive glyphs. Part 7 will show you the extraordinarily well-preserved statues and glyphs of Ukit Kan Lek Tok's tomb. If you are planning to visit Ek Balam, you can access a map in Part 1. It will show you how to get here from Valladolid and includes a site map of the the sacred precinct'.

Overview

The technical name of the Acropolis is Estructura 1. Because of its wealth of glyphs, both in stone and painted, this is one of Ek Balam's best documented structures. Estructura 1 occupies the north side of Plaza Norte. Many of the Plaza's other structures have been covered in my previous postings. Part 4  covered the two halves of the Ball Court (Estructuras 8 and 9) and the Sweat Bath (shown above, just below "Plaza Norte"). Part 1 covered Estructura 3. I didn't photograph Estructura 2 because it was mostly rubble when we visited.

Estructura 1's dimensions are breathtaking. Its rectangular base is 160m (525ft) in length, and 70m (230ft) wide. The top of the Acropolis reaches 32m (105ft). Only about 60% of Estructura 1 has been excavated, including the ground level rooms, the Central Staircase, and the structures that are adjacent to either side of the staircase. Plaza Oeste (West Plaza), on the left end of the second level, has also been excavated. The un-excavated 40% includes Plaza Este (East Plaza) on the second level's east end and the area behind the top of the Acropolis. Much work remains and new discoveries are expected.

The Central Staircase

The Central Staircase is a challenging climb. The 106 limestone steps are narrow, worn smooth and can be slippery. The woman in the foreground seems to be contemplating whether or not she wants to attempt the climb. The staircase divides the east and west wings of the massive structure. There are six levels, from the ground floor to the top, and the only landing is on the 4th level. Stelae, statues, and glyphs can be found on various of these levels. Most of these carvings are protected from rain damage by thatched palapas. 

The palapas located on either side of the bottom of the staircase cover temples with a large stone monuments standing in front. Both the monuments and the temple entrances are covered with hieroglyphic texts. It is not clear which gods were worshipped in these two temples. However, because the monuments were carved in the form of serpents, they may be related to Xibalba (the underworld). Snakes shed their skins, leading the Maya to believe that they are associated with death and re-birth. 

This monument stands in front of the east wing's temple. Archeologists refer to the two monuments as "hieroglypic serpents". The serpent's head is at the top, with a long tongue that extends down the steps below. Each tongue is covered with 12 glyphs and these are read horizontally. Although somewhat worn, the glyphs have been partially deciphered. The ones on this serpent's tongue proclaim that "this is the stairway of the Kalo'mte' Ukit Kan Lek Tok', King of Talol." 

The title Kalo'mte' (or Kaloomte') means "Supreme Warrior" or "High King" and was only used by the most powerful regional rulers. Glyphs discovered in Ek Balam describe Ukit Kan Lek Tok'  as a "stranger", and he may have arrived from the Rio Bec region of southern Yucatan. He founded the Talol dynasty in 770 AD and made Ek Balam his capital city. His kingdom was supported by tribute collected from subordinate towns and villages. The last glyph containing the name Ukit Kan Lek Tok' was dated 797 AD. However, he may have lived until 802 AD and his dynasty continued on for another 68 years, until 870 AD.  

Two young women enjoy the crest of the Acropolis, each in her own way. The one on the left is trying to find just the right angle for her photo. The girl on the right seems blissful in her yoga posture. Something about the tops of Mexico's ancient pyramids seems to hold a particular appeal for those who are attracted to mysticism. I once encountered a circle of young people sitting in the same posture at the very top of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán. They were communing with the spirits at exactly the spot where a statue of Huehueteotl (the Fire God) and the remains of his temple were later found. 

The view from atop the Acropolis. The temples and palaces of Ek Balam stretch out in all directions. Visible above is the Oval Palace (Part 2). To its right are the Twin Temples (Part 3). Both of them face into Plaza Sur (South Plaza). In the lower right, screened by trees, is the Ball Court (Part 4). Beyond the sacred precinct's perimeter walls, Yucatan's jungle stretches to the horizon. However, in the Late Classic era, the area outside of the walls would have looked very different. While the sacred precinct only covers 23.6 acres, the whole city once encompassed about 15km sq (9.3mi sq). 

At its peak, the city of Ek Balam was inhabited by 12,000-18,000 people. The dwellings of the commoners would have extended out from the sacred precinct's walls for a considerable distance. These would have been the homes of artisans, traders, common soldiers, servants and others. Beyond the city limits would have been cultivated land where crops like corn, beans, and squash were grown by Maya farmers. Turkeys and dogs were among the few domesticated animals they raised for food. Other meat sources included game like deer, tapirs, rabbits and peccaries. Bagre (catfish) were fished from cenotes in the area. 

  

Tourists carefully descend the staircase. This shot provides a sense of the precariousness of the descent. Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), has prohibited climbing on many of the country's major pyramids and monuments. This was done both to protect these structures and to avoid the injuries and even deaths that have befallen unwary tourists. In July, 2025, a tourist fell on these steps and suffered major injuries requiring hospital care. At this moment, climbing the Acropolis' staircase is still allowed, but be very careful if you do. 

The Central Staircase ascends the south side of the Acropolis and the general orientation of this great building is almost entirely toward the south. Each of the cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) had important mystical meanings to the ancient Maya. The Yucatec Maya word for "south" is Nohol. This direction was associated with the color yellow, the right hand of the sun, warmth, fertility, and abundance. Nohol was also associated with Kan Xib Chak, one of the four aspects of Chaak, god of rain, thunder and lightning. Despite these associations, nohol was less important than some of the other directions, particularly east. 

A tunnel passes underneath the Central Staircase on the Acropolis' second level. Passageways under staircases are features of the Puuc style of architecture. I saw tunnels similar to this when we visited the ancient city of Kabah in the Puuc region of northwestern Yucatan. In addition to the Central Staircase, there are numerous smaller staircases and sets of stairs which can be found throughout  the Acropolis' several levels.

Because the Acropolis is Ek Balam's most important structure, I found its south-facing orientation unusual. At other Maya sites I have visited, the most important structures usually face east. This is because east is the direction of the rising sun, making it the most important of the four directions. The Maya believed that Kinich Ahau, the Lord of the Sun, rose in the east each morning to begin the daily cycle of life. His failure to appear would have meant the end of the world and eternal darkness. The choice by Ukit Kan Lok Tok' to orient Ek Balam's royal palace--its most important building--toward the south is therefore odd. 

The ground level's two wings

Two tourists examine the multi-room ground level of the Acropolis. The left (west) wing of the Acropolis extends from the central staircase to the far west end of the rectangular base.  The right (east) wing extends from the staircase to the east end and is nearly identical. Each wing has five rooms. This set of ten of rooms was part of an ancient project to remodel the Acropolis. , The temples with the hieroglyphic serpents were built to commemorate the project. Above the ground-level rooms, you can see some of the second-level temples and their protective palapas.  

A ground-level room in the west wing. At every Maya site I have visited, the rooms have nearly all been long, narrow, and windowless. The Maya never mastered the true arch, but instead used the corbel arch. This kind of arch doesn't allow rooms of any shape but the kind seen above. This room may appear gloomy and constricted. However, compared to the wattle and thatch structures in which the commoners lived, this would have been considered luxury accommodation. It was very sturdy, probably didn't leak, and wouldn't blow down in a storm. Its thick walls kept the room cool in hot weather and warm when it got chilly.

Only the aristocratic elite and their families lived in stone-built rooms like this. In ancient times, this space would have appeared much more inviting than what you see today. There would have been reed mats for sitting and sleeping. Cloth, sometimes embroidered, would have provided color and softness. There would have been beautifully-crafted ceramic objects for daily household use and sometimes just for decoration. The absence of windows helped reduce heat, but was also intended to prevent the entry of evil spirits. 

View of the right (east) wing. The trees you see on the second level are growing in the middle of the largely un-excavated Plaza Este. As with the west wing, there are five evenly-spaced doorways. They open into rooms almost identical in size and shape to the one seen previously. The residents of these rooms would have been part of the elite, but probably of lower status than those who lived in the rooms on the upper levels. The higher the level of your residence, the closer you would be to the ruler. At Ek Balam, height made might.

The west end of the platform

The west end of the Acropolis is buttressed by a massive wall. I walked to the end of the west wing and turned the corner to look north along the great rectangular base. The man in the distance provides a sense of the scale of these walls. It is hard to imagine the amount of work needed to create the base of the Acropolis, as well as the walls that support it. That is even before you consider the five additional levels that sit on top of the base. As I've said before, all this was accomplished without metal tools, wheeled vehicles, or draft animals. 

Part way along the west end, I found this staircase. It leads up to Plaza Oeste and the second level structures that surround it. The staircase is extremely steep, with unusually narrow steps. If the south side's Central Staircase is precarious, this one is downright scary. It would almost require rock-climbing skills to ascend it.  

I have encountered similar staircases in the Rio Bec region, located in the southwestern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. This staircase is suggestive of a Rio Bec architectural influence. Could it have arrived from Rio Bec with the "stranger", Ukit Kan Lek Tok', who became ruler of Ek Balam? The staircases of Rio Bec were decorative and apparently not intended for normal use. Why would a decorative Rio Bec-style staircase have been placed in this somewhat out-of-the-way spot? These are just couple more of Ek Balam's many mysteries.

This completes Part 5 of my Ek Balam series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below, or email me directly. If you leave a question, please be sure to include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Ek Balam Part 4 of 7: The North Plaza's Ball Court and Sweat Bath

Ek Balam's Ball Court, looking north. According to deciphered glyphs, the Ball Court was dedicated in 841 AD by Tz'ihb Am Tuun. He was one of the dynastic successors of Ek Balam's greatest ruler, Ukit Kan Lek Tok'. Located in the southwest corner of Plaza Norte (North Plaza), the court stands less than 10m (30ft) north of the Twin Temples (Part 3). The corner of the Twins can be seen on the right. This close proximity may be intentional. The Twin Temples are thought to be associated with the Hero Twins of Maya mythology. The ball game was central to their triumph over the Lords of Xibalba (the Underworld). 

In the center of Plaza Norte is the Sweat Bath, another fascinating structure. It was used by Ek Balam's elites for purposes that included religion, health, and giving birth. It was also utilized by the ball players to ritually purify themselves before a game. In this posting, I will show the Ball Court and the Sweat Bath and explain the roles that they played at Ek Balam. 

See Part 1 of this series for a site map showing the locations of all the structures in Ek Balam's sacred precinct. 

Under the eyes of elite spectators, ball players focus intently on their game. The players moved the ball by striking it with their hips, elbows, or knees. The use of hands or feet during play was not allowed. The heavy rubber ball could cause injury or even death if it struck an unprotected part of the body. Consequently, the players wore protective gear, as you can see above. While these players don't wear protection for their heads, some depictions of ancient ballplayers show them wearing helmets. For example, the famous Olmec Heads, found in the State of Veracruz, appear to be wearing ballplayer helmets.

The Ball Game, which the Maya called "pitz"or "pok-ta-pok", originated as far back as 2000 BC. A rubber ball has been found that dates to 1650 BC and the oldest ball court dates to 1400 BC. While the Olmecs, known as the "Mother of Cultures", did not invent the game, they did spread it throughout Mesoamerica. Nearly every ancient ruin I have visited has contained at least one ball court and some had several. Cantona contains at least 27, a figure unmatched anywhere else. During the Classic era (100-900 AD), the game began to include human sacrifice, usually of war captives.

This solid rubber ball was made from latex. The latex was tapped from trees (Castilla elastica) found in the tropical areas of Mexico and Central America. Latex was turned into rubber by mixing it with Morning Glory (Ipomoea alba). Rubber strips were wound around a solid rubber core to create the ball. The Aztecs gave the Olmecs their name, which means "Rubber People" in the Aztec language of Nahuatl. The name refers to the tropical area where rubber was produced. However, the Olmecs had vanished 1600 years before the Aztecs arrived on the scene, so they only knew about the Olmecs through legends. 

The balls used in the game varied in size and weight depending upon the version being played. The smallest that archeologists have found are 8-10cm (3.1-3.9in) in diameter and weigh 170-280gr (6-10oz). These were probably used in a game similar to handball. The largest balls were used on courts like the one at Ek Balam. These are 20cm (8in) in diameter and weigh 3-4kg (6.6-8.8lbs). A hard rubber ball weighing that much could be dangerous. The Spanish chronicler Diego Durán witnessed ball games where players were sometimes killed by balls that "hit them in the mouth or the stomach or the intestines."

Estructura 8 forms the eastern half of the ball court. Ek Balam's ball court is one of the most fully-reconstructed parts of the city. The rounded corners of Estructura 8 indicate an architectural influence from the Petén area of northern Guatemala. A broad staircase leads up the eastern face of Estructura 8. At the top of the second level, the city's elite could stand or sit to watch the play on the field below. In a modern stadium, we'd call it a "skybox". 

The Ball Game was not just entertainment, but served religious, cultural, and political purposes. In terms of religion, it symbolized the eternal struggle between light and darkness and the cycle of regeneration, particularly of maiz, the Maya's most important crop. Hun Hunahpu, the father of the Hero Twins, was the god of maiz. In the Hero Twins myth, both the father and his twin sons were great ball players (see Part 3). The Ball Game was as important to the Maya world as the game of soccer (football) is to the modern world. As with modern soccer, the ancient game was culturally unifying public entertainment.

Carole strolls by the northeastern corner of Estructura 8. In the background, above Carole, are the Twin Temples (Estructura 17). I was intrigued by the large doorway on the northern side of Estructura 8 (right center). Out of curiosity, I Googled up an image of Estructura 9, on the opposite side of the court. Sure enough, its northern side has an identical doorway. Each door leads into a long narrow room. The most likely explanation is that these were the "locker rooms" of the opposing teams. Their locations would have been perfect for this.

In addition to the religious and cultural functions of the Ball Game, it also had a political dimension. Ball games were sometimes conducted to settle conflicts between city-states or between internal factions within a given state. The game could thus be a proxy for war. According to legends told to the Spanish, the Toltec ruler Topiltzin played against several rival kings. By winning, he became their ruler. The number of ball courts within a given state appears to have been negatively correlated to its degree of centralization. The Aztecs had few and were highly centralized, while Cantona had scores but was internally weak.

North side of Ball Court's Estructura 9, showing its "locker room" door. This half of the Ball Court has a large door that is a duplicate of the one on Estructura 8. It also has a staircase on its back side that is similar to the one on Estructura 8. The stairs lead up to the top of the structure, allowing access to elite spectators. This staircase is definitely less impressive than that of Estructura 8 and its "skybox" is not as large. Consequently, I suspect that Estructura 9 was intended for use by the visiting team and its entourage, while Estructura 8 was set aside for Ek Balam's "home" team and its nobility. 

The far end of Estructura 9's locker room has several narrow horizontal windows, which is an unusual feature. I have seldom found windows in the rooms at ancient Maya sites. Another interesting feature is the cornice decoration along the wall just above the door. This consists of short columns set side-by-side in a long row. I saw similar columns at the great palace at Sayil, in the Puuc area of northwestern Yucatan. This shows that there were some Puuc architectural influences at Ek Balam. (Photo from Google Street View).

View looking south along the playing area. Estructura 8 is on the left and 9 is on the right. The Twin Temples rise in the background. The playing field included the vertical walls and sloping areas, as well as the flat ground in between. There are no stone rings mid-way down the court, like those found at Chichen Itza and Uxmal and some other sites. However I found damage to the court walls on each side at the approximate places where rings would have been. Various sources I have consulted provided contradictory information about whether stone rings were ever present at the court and, if so, what happened to them.

The games were a contest between two teams, generally with two-to-four players on a side. Some ancient depictions of games show an additional person, who might have been a referee. The object of the game was to keep the ball in the air, somewhat like volleyball without a net, but using only the hips, elbows, or knees. A team lost points if they allowed the ball to touch the ground, although there was apparently no penalty if it bounced off the vertical or sloping walls. Assuming the court did once have stone rings, a team could win by passing the ball through one of them. However, this was very difficult to accomplish.

A small altar stands a short distance north of the court. The altar, known as Estructura 6, is about 1.5m (5ft) square with a small step on its southern side. It is located about 10m (30ft) north of the court, and faces directly down the playing field. There was no informational sign to explain the altar's presence, but the proximity of the altar to the ball court suggests an obvious purpose. The rituals that were conducted here must have been related to the beginning or end of the games. As I have remarked before, the ancient Maya did not do things randomly, particularly when positioning and orienting their architecture.

The Sweat Bath

The ruins of the Sweat Bath are located in the center of Plaza Norte. The terrace and steps of the rectangular, two-level Estructura 4 face north toward the Acropolis (Estructura 1).  Behind Estructura 4 is a U-shaped structure that was once attached to it. There was no informational sign, so I initially thought this small complex might be a residential platform. Later research revealed it to be the ruins of the Sweat Bath. This was confirmed to me when I found a drawing of a sweat bath from the pre-hispanic Codex Magliabechiano. A pre-hispanic codex is a hieroglpyphic text that is largely pictures. 

The Classic-era Maya word for sweat bath was pib' naah, meaning "oven house". The oldest sweat bath yet found dates back to 900 BC, during the Pre-Classic period. It was discovered in Belize, south of Yucatan. Sweat baths have been discovered throughout the Maya world as well as elsewhere in Mesoamerica. The Aztec name for it was temazcal. The Maya built pib' naah in ceremonial centers, such as the sacred precinct of Ek Balam. Others were built close to homes. Two gods were associated with sweat baths. The moon goddess "O" was depicted as an old woman, while an earth god called Pauahtun was shown as elderly man.

A Sweat Bath, as depicted in the Codex Magliabechiano. It consists of a rectangular structure with a tall cylindrical tower attached to it. There is a single low door on the front side. Above the door is a face, possibly representing Goddess O. The cylindrical tower is  surrounded by wavy lines indicating heat. At the tower's base, a worker feeds fuel into a fire. Below the door is a supply of faggots, ready to burn. Just inside the door is a small circle rising up with a dot in its center which represents steam. The figures on the right represent two of the most important functions of a sweat bath, healing and religion.

The squatting man at the top right is a shaman or priest. The two little symbols in front of him represent speech, probably a prayer or a ritual incantation. The two figures in the lower right are a sick man, who is reaching out for a bowl. He is teary-eyed and covered with spots. The woman is probably a curandera (healer). Steam rises from the bowl she is holding. This indicates a hot liquid, perhaps an herb broth. In addition to their religious and healing functions, sweat baths were also used by women during the birthing process and by ball players to purify themselves before a game.

The U-shaped structure above may be the base of the cylindrical heating tower. It was in this structure that volcanic stones called tezontle were heated and then sprinkled with water to create steam. The steam was channeled through an aperture into the area where the sweat bathers were gathered, while the smoke from the fire rose up and exited from the top of the tower. The naked and heavily-sweating participants sat within the rectangular structure. They swatted themselves with leaves or corn husks to open their pores. The effect of the heat and steam in this closely constricted area could create an hallucinogenic state. 

One of the other uses of the sweat bath was during the birthing process. An elderly mid-wife presided, probably acting the part of Goddess O. During the sweat bath, the pregnant woman's stomach was massaged and she was fed special foods. After the child was born, its afterbirth was buried in the floor of the sweat bath. The Maya believed that the afterbirth continued to be part of the individual. It was important to know the place where it was buried because, during an illness or other life crisis, a person could return and symbolically reconnect to his/her origin. It was seen as a way to cure illness or solve a life problem.

To the right of the main sweat bath is a separate, two-level circular structure. This is Estructura 5, which appears to have been the base of a dome-shaped version of a sweat bath. The dome would have been made of masonry, with one low door. The most likely place for the door would have been on the front side of the base (left center), facing the Acropolis. The function of the smaller circular structure on top is unclear. It may have been a seating area, or possibly where the hot tezontle rock was placed when it was ready to be sprinkled with water.

Why are there two sweat baths with completely different designs? One may simply pre-date the other. Often, the ruler of a new dynasty would decide to make his own architectural statements. Or, a popular new sweat bath style may have been imported from elsewhere. Another possibility involves a Classic era sweat bath that was recently found in Guatemala. About 600 AD, an individual was interred in its doorway, after which the whole structure was buried. Three hundred years later, at the end of the Classic era, the sweat bath was unearthed and  re-opened as a shrine. Archeologists found various burned offerings inside. 

Design of a dome-shaped sweat bath. In the top drawing, you can see how it would have been necessary to crawl through the door. The Maya believed that the doors of temples and sweat baths carried important meanings. Entering through the door symbolized being consumed by a deity, while exiting represented a re-birth. The lower drawing shows the firebox on the rear of the dome. In the drawing, the box is directly connected with the dome. However, in some cases fireboxes were separate from the sweat chamber.

When the Spanish arrived at the end of the Post-Classic period, they strongly disapproved of the native people's use of sweat baths. The Spaniard Diego Duran wrote that "mingled and naked as they are, there cannot fail to be great affronts and offense to our Lord." He and other Spaniards assumed that all sorts of sexual practices were happening inside the sweat baths. While this may have been the case in some instances, the primary purposes of purification, healing and childbirth remained. It should also be noted that the Spanish disdained baths in general and considered them unhealthy.

This small structure stands a few yards to the west of the two-level circular structure. Like the other parts of the sweat bath complex, this one lacked any informational sign. It couldn't have been another sweat bath because it is only about the size of a small closet. However, it is almost certainly related to the complex because of its proximity to the domed sweat bath. I came to the conclusion that this must be the firebox, because the domed sweat bath's circular base does not contain one. Tezontle rocks would have been heated here and then brought inside the domed structure. 

This concludes Part 4 of my Ek Balam series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim