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. These ground floor sets of rooms are relatively late additions to the Acropolis. To commemorate their construction, the temples with the hieroglyphic serpents were built. 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