Ek Balam Part 1 of 7: An ancient Maya metropolis in northern Yucatan

An exquisitely carved statue decorates the tomb of one of Ek Balam's rulers. The statue wears the attire of a highly-placed member of Ek Balam's Classic-era aristocracy. The jewelry on the wrists and ankles represents jade, one of the most precious stones of the ancient Mesoamerican world. The necklace and ear spools would also have been jade. The upper body is naked except for an elaborate head dress and a feathered cloak which spreads out from the shoulders. The mid-section is covered by a garment resembling an embroidered kilt.  Hanging over the groin is a pouch decorated with a grinning face.

This posting is the first of a seven-part series on the ancient Maya city of Ek Balam ("Black Jaguar"). The ruins are less than 1/2 hour drive north of Valladolid and we visited them during our stay there. However, since Ek Balam can also be easily reached from Cancun or Mérida, I decided to present this as a stand-alone series. Part 1 will be an overview of the major features of the city, while the following six parts will show each of these features in detail.

Overview

Google map showing the route from central Valladolid to Ek Balam. The distance from Vallolid's central plaza to the ruins is 27.8km (17.2mi). Proceed north on Highway 295 about 20km to a right-angle intersection with a small hotel on the corner. About 100m before this intersection there is a large sign on the right which points toward Tizmin and Rio Lagartos, but makes no mention of Ek Balam. Be alert for this intersection with its hotel when you have traveled approximately 20km from Valladolid. 

About 100m after you turn right, there is a sign pointing toward Z. A. (Zona Arqueologica) Ek Balam. After about 5km, you come to a four-way intersection. A left takes you to the modern pueblo of Ek Balam, while a right goes to the pueblo of Santa Rita. Instead, head straight into the Zona Arqueológica. Follow the road about 2km to the large parking area. A short trail from there will take you to the beginning of the ruins. 

One of several iguanas that we encountered in the ruins. While I am not certain, this may be one of the Black Spiny-Tailed species (Ctenosaura similis). The Yucatan Peninsula and Central America abound with many different iguana species. The ones I have encountered are almost always totally unconcerned by the approach of humans. They usually remain completely still while I take my photo, almost as if they are posing. Despite their languid appearance, this species is the fastest lizard on the planet and can reach speeds of 21mph, if threatened. They like places where they can bask or hide in rocky crevices, if frightened.

The mouth of a chultun, which once stored water for Ek Balam's inhabitants. I found it near the Acropolis (Estructura 1). A chultun  is a man-made water storage chamber shaped like a globular pot with a neck that narrows to a circular opening at ground level. Chultunes were carved into the thick limestone sheet which lies just below the soil. The opening for this one looks big enough for a man to squeeze through and then move around inside. Once carved into the desired shape, the inside walls were made watertight with lime plaster. 

Northern Yucatan has no natural water sources other than rainfall and the limestone sinkholes called cenotes. To solve this problem, chultunes were invented by ancient Maya hydraulic engineers to help expand the available water supply. Rain running off nearby structures was channeled to an opening like this so that the water could be stored for use in dry periods. Smaller chultunes had a capacity of 7,500 gallons (enough for 25 people). Some were much larger, however, with capacities ranging from 16,000 to 110,000 gallons. 

A Maya welcoming committee, as they would have appeared in the early 16th century. 

Unlike the statue in the first photo, the men above are warriors, dressed for battle, not for style. They are naked except for loincloths and light capes over their shoulders. Two of their capes are fringed with large animal teeth, possibly jaguar fangs. The two warriors on the left carry wood-handled weapons, set with razor-sharp obsidian blades. All four are decorated with intricate tattoos (possibly temporary), which symbolize strength, spiritual power, social status, and possibly membership in a warrior clan.

The first Spanish encounter with the Maya was peaceful. In 1502, one of Christopher Columbus' ships encountered a large, sea-going Maya canoe in the Caribbean Sea. However, when the Spanish began exploring the coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula in 1517, they met fierce resistance. Serious efforts to conquer Yucatan did not begun until 1542, twenty years after the conquest of the Aztecs. The last Maya stronghold did not fall until 1697. The Aztecs managed to hold out for about 2 years, but the Maya lasted for 180! Sporadic revolts in the Yucatan continued over the centuries, including the 67-year Caste War, which ended in 1915.

The elite ceremonial precinct of Ek Balam. This area is surrounded by two concentric sets of low walls with five entrances. There is one each on the north, east, and west sides and two on the south side. Leading to each of these entrances is a sacbé ("white road") paved with stones covered with white lime plaster. Sacbé #2 is 10m (33ft) wide and extends 190m (623ft) out from its gate. Originally, it may have been much longer. The longest sacbé in Yucatan reaches 300km (186mi) from Mérida to the Caribbean Coast. The intersection of  five sacbeob with Ek Balam is an indication of the city's political and economic power. 

A total of 45 of the city's structures have been excavated. The most important of these surround Plaza Norte (North Plaza) and Plaza Sur (South Plaza). In the map above, the Plaza Norte is shaped like an inverted "U". It is bounded on the north by the Acropolis (Estructura 1), on the west by Estructura 2, and on the east by Estructura 3. The smaller Plaza Sur is also "U" shaped (but not inverted). The Oval Palace (Estructura 16) is at its base (south side). The west side is bordered by a pair of structures called the Twin Temples (Estructura 17). The east side is formed by a large platform called Estructura 10.

Perimeter Walls and Main Entrance

Sections of the inner and outer walls. The Sacbé 2 entrance arch is in the upper left. The Oval Palace can be seen in the upper right. Archeologists have long debated the purpose of these walls. Originally, they were thought to be defensive structures and are still described this way in some tourist publications. However, although they are thick, they were never much higher than what you see above. Such low walls would not have been of much use in warding off determined attacks.

Modern archeologists now believe that the purpose of the walls was to establish boundaries and restrict entrance to the areas reserved for the city's rulers, nobility, and priesthood. The general the population would have lived in thatched huts called "nah", spread out widely over the area outside the walls. 

The main entrance (Estructura 18) to Ek Balam is through this ceremonial arch. It sits on a three-tiered platform and is approached from the Sacbé 2 by ascending the ramp seen above. A similar ramp on the north side leads down into the ceremonial area. The east and west sides also have arches, but these are approached by stairs. The architecture of this structure indicates that it was the main ceremonial entrance to the city.

View of the Sacbé 2 entrance (Estructura 18). I took this shot looking southwest from the top of the Twin Temples. Here, you can see both the ramp on the north side, as well as the east-side arch and its stairs. Although this is not one of the larger structures in Ek Balam, its unusual architecture makes it one of the most photographed. In the center left background, you can see a bit of the outer perimeter walls.

Plaza Sur

The Oval Palace (Estructura 16), viewed from the top of the Twin Temple. The structure gets its name from the sides and back of its second level, which has a the curved, oval shape. This is an elite residential building, rather than a temple, although some ceremonial activities are likely to have occurred here. An impressive staircase leads from the Plaza level up to the top of the platform, which contains a small structure. Some archeologists speculate that the Oval Palace may have had an astronomical, as well as a residential, function. There are similar curved structures at other Yucatan sites such as the "Observatory" at Chichen Itza.

The Twin Temples (Estructura 17) form the west side of Plaza Sur. These two temples face east across the Plaza toward Estructura 10. Because they are nearly identical in size and design, archeologists decided to call them "The Twins". Each of the two temples sits on a two-level platform accessed by broad staircases. Each temple has two doors and each door leads into two rooms, one behind the other, giving the Twins a total of eight rooms.

These rooms don't appear to have served as living spaces but were more likely used for religious and ceremonial purposes. Archeologists believe the Twin Temples may be related to the Hero Twins of Maya mythology. The Lords of Death in Xibalba (the underworld) challenged them to a ritual Ball Game. The Hero Twins were triumphant and, after overcoming a variety of other challenges, they were transformed into the sun and moon.

Estructura 10 faces west, toward the Twin Temples. The base of this structure is a huge, raised platform which makes up the eastern border of Plaza Sur. It is accessed by a broad staircase on its west side. A small altar is on top of the platform, near the top of the stairs. On the far side of the platform is a small temple (see above) containing another altar. The temple is flanked by two long, low, rubble mounds. 

While the little temple and the low mounds are not impressive on their own, the platform on which they sit is the largest of Plaza Sur's structures. Estructura 10 was clearly intended for large ceremonies and rituals, rather than for living quarters. The large space on top of the platform would have accommodated a sizable crowd. It is possible that the mounds served as raised viewing ares for elite spectators, sort of like the viewing stands on either side of a modern playing field.

South and east sides of Plaza Norte

The Ball Court sits a few yards to the north of the Twin Temples. Its proximity to the Twin Temples is probably not coincidental, if the archeologists are right about the Hero Twins myth. Ek Balam's Ball Court is made up of Estructura 8 (right) and Estructura 9 (left). The playing field includes the sloping areas on each structure and the narrow, rectangular space between them. 

Some ball courts, like the one at Chichen Itza, were fitted with a stone ring half-way down each side of the court. However, there are no stone rings in this court. While the game was played for thousands of years, all over Mexico and Central America, the rules differed from place to place and sometimes didn't include the rings.

The east side of the Plaza Norte is bordered by Estructura 3. This is the second largest structure at Ek Balam, in terms of the space covered. Only the Acropolis (Estructura 1), on the Plaza's north side, is larger. Estructura 3 is a low platform, measuring 110m long and 55m wide (361ft X 180ft). It is accessed by a small, 5-step staircase on its west side. In front of the stairs is a standing, two-sided rock called a stela. Sometimes a stela contains images or glyphs, but this one is unmarked. The ruins of a small temple stand in the center of the platform. Etructura 3 was likely for ceremonial rather than residential purposes.

Estructura 3 was first excavated in 1886 by the French explorer Desiré Charnay . He found "a severed head modeled in stucco with the fragments of an inscription." Charnay dug around, looking for a tomb, but found only fragments of decoration and parts of a black-painted clay figurine. More recently, archeologists found a stucco mask which may be the severed stucco head that Charnay reported. The west side of the Plaza is bordered by Estructura 2, which I didn't photograph because it was almost entirely un-excavated rubble.

  

North side of Plaza Norte

The Acropolis (Estructura 1) is the largest building in Ek Balam. It was built as a palace during the Late Classic era by the city's most powerful ruler and contains his tomb. A single, broad staircase leads six levels up to the top of the structure. Each level contains multiple rooms, some with intricate glyphs and other decorations. The tomb is decorated with exquisitely-carved stone statues of rulers and other aristocratic figures (see first photo). Some of the statues were deliberately decapitated centuries ago, probably when the city was captured by enemy forces.

A tourist carefully descends the Acropolis' wide staircase. While the steps are wide across, they are also very narrow. This makes them somewhat dangerous, particularly when descending. Over the years tourists have occasionally been injured or even killed from falls down stairs like these. Once you start to tumble, it would be very difficult to stop yourself. 

As a result, the Mexican government has prohibited climbing on some ancient ruins, including the stairs of the famous El Castillo, or Pyramida de Kukulkan, in Chichen Itza. Fortunately, these prohibitions were not in place when we visited Ek Balam, although this may since have changed. If you are fortunate enough to be able to climb up a pyramid or temple, please be extremely careful, particularly when descending.

This completes Part 1 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 can respond promptly.

Hasta luego, Jim

 

Valladolid Adventures Part 19: A wild ride through the Mexican imagination at Casa de los Venados

"Hi there! Come right in!" This fantastical greeter stands near the entrance. Despite all those fangs and claws and the voracious expression, the bright, whimsical flowers somewhat blunt the effect. Casa de los Venados (House of the Deer) contains one of the preeminent collections of Mexican folk art and it was one of our "must-see" places during our Valladolid explorations. Carole and I have been fans of Mexican folk art since we began our life here and we were eager to check this place out.

Folk art is defined as the art of a specific culture or region. It is created by self-taught or community-trained artists, and reflects the traditions, customs and daily life of a community. This form of art is dynamic, can be decorative or utilitarian, and may change over time.  Some of the hand-made art objects can be used in daily life, while others may be reserved for important ceremonies. 

Overview

Google satellite view showing how to get there. Calle 40 (40th St) runs along the east side of Valladolid's main plaza, called Parque Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado. On the map above, Calle 40 is shown as Highway 295. It runs one-way to the north on the east side of the Parque (and one-way to the south on the west side). Casa de los Venados is located about 50m (164ft) south of the southeast corner of the Parque, (see red marker). The address is Calle 40 #204.

Our host and his fierce watch-puppy. Casa de los Venados is actually a private residence belonging to John and Dorianne Venator. They spent 35 years collecting more than 3000 pieces of folk art while traveling around Mexico. About 23 years ago, they started looking for a place for vacations and retirement and Valladolid's laid-back atmosphere attracted them. One day, while walking around near the plaza, John found the house of their dreams. I say "dreams" because the 17th century colonial-era mansion was pretty dilapidated at the time. It must have taken considerable imagination to see what could be made of it. 

The Venators allow 1-hour, pre-scheduled tours every day between 10 AM and 1 PM. The phone is (985) 856-2289.  Plan to arrive a few minutes early, since tours start right on time. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of at least $100 pesos (approximately $5.00 USD). This goes to local charities and to help maintain the property. A very friendly and knowledgeable Mexican named Freddy was our guide. Tours can be conducted in either English or Spanish. I never did learn the name of the little terrier, but he was a cutie and enjoyed having his chin scratched.

A few examples of the amazing folk art in Casa de los Venados

A colorful, hand-made deer head decorated one wall. Venados (deer) are sacred to many of Mexico's native cultures, most particularly the Wixaritari (known to the Spanish as the Huicholes). They venerate deer, corn, eagles, and peyote. The Wixaritari are a Nahuatl-speaking tribe that migrated south from the northern deserts in pre-hispanic times. When Spanish conquistador Nuñez de Guzman Beltran passed through their area, the Wixaritari fled into the mountains to avoid being massacred or enslaved. Today the center of their culture is the mountainous intersection of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states.

This monkey appears ready to leap from the wicker lamp. He may be of the Howler Monkey species. We saw many of them when we visited the jungles of southern Yucatan and Costa Rica. Monkeys were associated with Ehecatl, the God of Wind and were kept as pets by the ancient Zapotecs and Aztecs. I found the creature's appearance and posture to be remarkably accurate. The lamp was clearly crafted by a gifted artist who is familiar with this kind of animal. I'm not sure how comfortable I would be using this as a reading lamp, knowing that this guy was about to leap onto my head at any moment.  

An alert jaguar mom glares at a possible threat to her kitten.  Jaguars are another animal that was important to pre-hispanic people in Mexico and Central America. The early Olmecs (1500 BC - 400 BC) revered the animal and carved many stone images of them. Because the jaguar hunts at night, it was believed to freely pass between the world of the living and that of Xibalba (the underworld). As a powerful predator it was also associated with warfare and the cult of the jaguar warriors and with royalty.

An unusual dog crouches under a table. The figure has the body of a slender dog, but the face of a human with a blonde mustache and goatee. The art of indigenous people in colonial times often depicted Spaniards with blonde hair and beards. This creature seens to carry on that tradition. Pre-hispanic art also contains many depictions of anthropomorphic (part human) animals. This tradition dates back thousands of years to Olmec stone carvings of "were-jaguars", which depicted human children with jaguar faces.

Anyone need a hand in telling the time? This is one of the most unusual clocks I have ever encountered. Standing on human feet and legs of carved wood, the clock shows the time with its human hands and fingers. Extra fingers are added for each hour until they total twelve. I have always enjoyed the quirky sense of humor of Mexico's artists.

A catrina sits demurely on a chair, with an umbrella between her knees. This is one of the classic Mexican skeleton figures known as a catrina. Across from her, out of sight, is a catrin, a seated male figure wearing a top hat. Catrins and catrinas were the invention of a 19th century political cartoonist named Guadalupe Posada. 

He drew the figures to lampoon Mexico's nouveax riche class during the rule of the dictator Porfirio Diaz (1876-1911). This got him into hot water, requiring him to flee his hometown of Aguascalientes to Mexico City. Catrins and catrinas are still popular, especially during the Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead).

A skeletal indigenous dancer wears a deer's head and carries a rattle in each hand. He also has sets of rattles around his lower legs. His posture is very realistic and I could almost hear the rhythmic drumming to which he is dancing. The artistic use of skeletons, as well as individual human bones and skulls, is still another tradition that dates far back into  pre-hispanic times. The ancient people used to de-flesh skulls and decorate them with turquoise mosaics. The bones of dead relatives were sometimes carved into daily household utensils as a way of keeping a connection with the deceased person.

A two-headed statue wears a dress decorated with an assortment of dolls and flowers.. The two faces resemble that of the artist Frida Kahlo, who was married to Diego Rivera, one of Mexico's foremost muralists. Together, they were at the center of the artistic explosion that occurred in Mexico during the 1920s-40s. Frida Kahlo loved to wear traditional Mexican outfits and to decorate herself with flowers and other objects. 

A seated skeleton peruses a magazine while wearing rather fancy sunglasses. A newspaper is lying on the table, ready for his attention when he finishes the magazine. Perhaps he symbolizes the fate of someone waiting in the office of one of Mexico's notoriously slow government bureaucracies. He looked friendly enough, but we didn't want to disturb his concentration, so we quietly tiptoed away. The artist must have had a good time putting this scene together.

Wildly decorated masks are another Mexican artistic specialty. On this one, two faces share three eyes. Along with the eyes, the faces also share maniacally jolly expressions. Instead of hair, the head is surmounted by an owl with its wings extended. The sides of the head are framed by four writhing, grinning snakes. Owls and snakes are animals associated with important gods of several pre-hispanic cultures. Other amazing examples of masks can be seen in my blog postings about various indigenous dance festivals and at several of Mexico's mask museums that we have visited. 

A snarling jaguar head forms the left arm-piece of this chair. The beautifully carved chair is one of a pair. The other has a similar snarling head on its right arm-piece. Sculpture in wood and stone is a very ancient artistic skill in Mexico. The Spanish conquistadors destroyed the civilizations they found when they landed in the New World. Assisting them in this were the Franciscan friars and those of various other evangelical Orders, who were bent on eradicating "devil worship". However, the ancient skills often survived, although they sometimes had to be practiced covertly, in order to escape the wrath of the oppressors.

A very lifelike mannequin stands erect, dressed for an indigenous dance. The face and arms are painted in elaborate patterns. On his head, the dancer wears a broad brimmed hat constructed from paper mache.  A cascade of colorful ribbons flows down from the hat's rim. Carole and I have attended many indigenous festivals, including parades and dances. Native people have worked hard to keep these traditions alive.

This completes Part 19 of my Valladolid Adventures 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 fashion.

Hasta luego, Jim

 

Valladolid Adventures Part 18: Ex-Convento de Kikil's cloister and exterior features

 

Arcade and portales at the entrance to Ex-Convento de Kikil's cloister. In the foreground, an old stone watering trough now serves as a planter. This is the best-preserved section of the Ex-Convento. In the previous posting (Part 17), we looked at the ruins of Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the Ex-Convento's church. It was built by the Franciscans in 1584 to serve the friars and those they evangelized. In this part, I will show you some of the cloister area, where the friars lived and worked. We'll also take a look at some of the exterior features of the church, and the work area that lies behind the cloister.

The Cloister

Front view of the cloister. The church is attached to the cloister's right end, at a 90 degree angle. The cloister was built in 1576, eight years before the church.  Typical activities occurring in the cloister included prayer and meditation, study and reading, manual labor, education for novices, informal conversations and recreation, and various rituals and ceremonies. It also contained the friars' cells (personal spaces/bedrooms) and a refectory for dining. In addition to its other purposes, the Ex-Convento also functioned as a civil registry, because facilities for civil administration were scarce.

The cloister, viewed from the left. On the right is the massive wall of the Templo. Today, the cloister contains a small museum. Unfortunately, no one was around when we visited. Consequently, we didn't realize the museum even existed until I did some later research for this posting. The museum is reported to contain pre-hispanic artifacts, including a replica of a Chac Mool. This is a large stone carving of a human figure reclining on its back with a bowl for blood on its stomach. Chac Mools are closely associated with human sacrifice.

The museum also contains colonial era items. These include an original church bell made of copper and tin and weighing about 150 kilos (331 lbs). In addition, there are a couple of weapons used during the Spanish Conquest of Mexico and some wooden steps made of zapote (sapodilla wood). The steps are the remains of a staircase that once led to the church's campanario (bell tower).

View of the cloister's arcade from the left end. The door at the end of the arcade appears to lead into the Templo. Notice the vigas (wooden rafters) on the ceiling of the arcade. These appear to be part of the original construction. I have seen the same sort of rafters at other early colonial sites, including in the front arcade of Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, in Valladolid. The windows contain wooden bars which may also be original. A series of chandeliers hang from the ceiling. They would have once been lit by candles, but probably contain electric bulbs today.

Exterior features of the Templo

One of the Templo's windows, high on its side wall.. Just inside the window, there appears to be a passageway between the exterior and interior walls. I didn't notice the passageway until I closely examined this photograph. During later research, I found mention of hidden passages within the church. 

The walls of the Templo are largely unadorned. The high walls give the church the aspect of a fortress. This is not accidental. Churches often became the place of refuge for people fleeing attackers. These might be Maya rebels, pirates, bandits, or military units in one of Mexico's many internal conflicts. The high, thick walls and heavy doors of a church could offer protection and a good place for defense against assaults. Templo San Servacio, the Franciscan church in Valladolid, actually has gun slits on the two towers that frame its entrance. Half-way along the wall is one of the Templo's two side doors.

One of the nave's niches, seen through the side door. This is the doorway on the eastern wall of the Templo, seen in the previous photo. The thick walls are made of rough limestone chunks that were mortared together with sascab. This naturally-occurring powdered lime, when mixed with honey, was often used for mortar during pre-hispanic and early colonial times. The thickness of the walls enabled their height, as well as keepng the church cool during hot weather. Niches like the one above were once filled with statues of saints or other sacred figures. 

Window with wooden bars in the Templo's rear wall. I originally thought this was a door, because of how tall it is. Then I noticed similar windows along the wall in the arcade. The lack of hinges or latches normally appearing on a door was a further indication that this is a window. There must have once been internal shutters to keep out wind and rain. Such shutters would also have served for security, because I am doubtful that wooden bars like this would have withstood a determined assailant. 

This opening in the Templo's rear leads into the ruins of the apse containing the altar. In the lower right are the remains of a small room that connects the apse with the cloister. This was probably the sacristy, where the ceremonial clothing of the priest was stored. There are reports that Ex-Convento de Kikil is inhabited by paranormal spirits. According to locals, these are none-threatening, intelligent energies that once belonged to friars who were massacred at the Ex-Convento. The killings probably occurred when it was sacked during the beginning stages of the great Maya revolt known as the Caste War (1848-1915).

Outside work areas

Google satellite view of the cloister and the outside work area. The cloister is the light-colored rectangular building. In the center of the photo's right side, you can see a circle of stone, with a smaller stone structure in its center. Vegetation traces a path from the bottom right of the cloister to the stone circle, indicating an important relationship. This whole area would have been the location for many of the manual tasks necessary for the day-to-day functioning of the Ex-Convento. The area in the upper right is the beginning of fields that would have grown the crops required to feed the friars and their Maya workers.

The circular stone structure may be the ruins of a noria. The stone wall is about 1.2m (4ft) tall and circles an area about 15m (50ft) across. Above the wall, you can see a stone structure in the center. I was mystified by the stone circle when I photographed it. Then, I researched the noria (waterwheel) ruins at Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, I now believe that these are the ruins of Ex-Convento de Kikil's noria. Above-ground water is scarce in northern Yucatan, except beneath the limestone surface. A cenote (sinkhole filled with water) is in the general area, but not close to the Ex-Convento. A well was needed.

Stone pit in the middle of the noria. This is probably the ruins of the well. From this, the noria extracted water for drinking, cooking, washing, and to nourish the plants that the friars were growing for food. The stone shaft in the upper left would have been part of the mechanism's structure. Norias were very common at Yucatan's conventos and haciendas from the 16th century until well into the 20th. A yoked burro would have trudged around the inside of the the circular stone wall, pulling a beam that turned the waterwheel in the center. For more information on colonial norias, and a diagram of how they worked, see Part 11.

This unidentified structure may have been a colonial-era furnace. The area behind the arched opening is quite shallow. This leads me to believe that it may have once been a large furnace, used for some 17th century industrial purpose. Another mystery is the standing stone about 7m (20ft) from the entrance arch. Standing stones at pre-hispanic sites are common and usually served as monuments to a ruler or an event. However, this stone's purpose and possible relation to the "furnace" remains unclear. 

This completes Part 18 of my Valladolid Adventures 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 can respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Valladolid Adventures Part 17: The ruins of the Franciscan Ex-Convento de Kikil

 

The front entrance of the Convento de Kikil's church, looking out. The thick walls and old wood rafters show the age of the Franciscan Convento's ruins. Carole and I discovered this place by accident, while returning from our visit to the north coast of Yucatan (see previous posting). As anyone who follows my blog knows, I am a sucker for old ruins and couldn't resist exploring this unexpected and mysterious site.

Convento de Kikil is not as large, nor is it as intact, as Convento de San Bernardino de Siena (see Parts 9-15 of this series). However, it is still impressive and worth a short stop to inspect it. The former cloister (see my next posting) is the most intact part of the site, but it was closed when we visited. I only discovered later that the cloister now contains a museum with artifacts from the Convento's history as well as some pre-hispanic objects. Consequently, I don't have any photos of the museum's contents.

Overview

Google map of the route. Proceed due north on Highway 295 from Valladolid to Kikil. The distance is about 58km (36mi). Highway 295 splits just north of Kikil, with the left fork going to San Felipe and the right to Rio Lagartos. The Convento's ruins are on the right side of the road, about 100m (100yds) before you reach the fork. According to a legend about the pueblo's name, it derives from k'i'ik', the Yucatec Mayan word for blood. The story, says that a priest was once beheaded in the nave of the church. It is also possible that the name comes from k'i'ik' che', the name of a local rubber tree.

Convento de Kikil, as it appears from the road. The large rectangular structure on the right is Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria and it was constructed in 1584. Another source calls it Templo San Román, but I find this name unlikely because San Román was martyred during the Cristero War (1926-29) long after the Convento was abandoned. In addition, some sources claim the Convento wasn't constructed until the middle of the 18th century. However the building style is much more like that of 16th century Franciscan structures.

The building is quite massive, measuring 65m (213.25 ft) long and 15m (49.2 ft) wide. Kikil's population is only about 200, and it was even tinier in the 16th century. To build such a large church, the Franciscan friars must have been very ambitious about their possibilities for evangelism. The cloister is the one-story structure on the left where the friars lived and worked. It was constructed in 1576, preceding the church by eight years. 

Google satellite view of the Convento. The Templo is the long structure (see the red marker) on the lower left, extending back from the parking area. The cloister is the light-colored structure extending at a right-angle from the Templo's other end. The exterior working area (shown in next posting) is behind the cloister to the right. At the far right is a low, circular stone structure that may be the remains of a noria (waterwheel). The area in the upper right is farmland that may have once been cultivated to support the friars and their Convento.

Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria

The facade and front entrance of the Templo are rather plain. This is typical of colonial Mexico's 16th century Franciscan churches. It fitted the rather austere outlook and lifestyle of the Franciscan Order of that period. Above the arched entrance is the choir window. The long crack in the wall is probably from natural deterioration rather than earthquake damage. There is very little tectonic activity in northeastern Yucatan. The stonework at the top of the building's left corner differs from other parts of the facade, indicating a later addition. The most likely possibility is that it was once the base of a campanario (belltower). 

Two plain pilasters support the arch over the entrance. Unlike the rough stone used for the church's walls, the pilasters are of cut stone. This arrangement was typical of the late 16th century stone buildings that replaced the early adobe-and-thatch structures of the first part of the century. These pilasters are load-bearing, while others in the church pilasters are only decorative. Just inside the entrance are two niches which once contained statues of saints or other sacred figures.

Wooden rafters once supported the choir loft, just inside the entrance. The rafters show evidence of charring, indicating that the church was destroyed by fire, probably during the Caste War (1848-1915). That may also have been the occasion when the priest was beheaded. Despite the fire damage, you can still see the carefully carved undersides of the rafters. Decorative details like this can often be found in colonial religious structures, even in areas of a structure that are hard to see with the naked eye. The roof line has developed quite a lot of vegetation, adding to the overall sense of antiquity.

Looking down the length of the nave toward where the apse used to be. The apse is the curved end of a nave where the main alter is located. All that remains here is just open space. There are four empty niches visible, two on either wall. They are separated by two doorways, one either side of the mid-section of the church. The floor, which was once tiled, is now covered by grass and weeds. Much of the original lime plaster still covers the walls.

Detail of one of the nave's niches and a pilaster. The niche was probably filled with one of the many Franciscan saints, perhaps one who was martyred. It could even have contained a statue of San Francisco (St. Francis) himself. Although plain in design, the pilaster is carefully carved, unlike the rough stones in the walls. As with many pilasters, it does not support any weight, but is just a decorative element. 

View from the apse area back toward the entrance and choir window. The roof apparently collapsed during a hurricane in 1920. Over time, looters have dug holes in the walls. Other holes in the nave were dug by graverobbers looking for valuables in the tombs below the floor. Efforts to prevent further deterioration began in 2020. 

Plans for renovation of the decayed structure have been submitted by a committee of local citizens. However, the federal Maya Train Project put things on hold. In addition, there is a dispute over who controls the Convento's ruins. The disagreement is between the local committee, which is backed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), and local government officials. 

One of the two side doors of the nave. Thick walls were necessary because outside buttresses were not used for support. The walls' rough limestone chunks were held in place with mortar made from sascab and honey. Sascab is a powder from decayed limestone that was widely used for mortar from pre-hispanic times through the colonial era. Quarried limestone was sometimes crushed and burned, along with animal bones, to create mortar. However, when it was available, sascab was the preferred material. It didn't require burning and the consequent necessity of large scale woodcutting to feed the fires.

This completes Part 17 of my Valladolid Adventures series. In Part 18, I will show you the cloister and some of the Convento de Kikil's external features, including its work areas. I hope you have enjoyed this posting. 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 so that I may respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim