The remains of grand Maya temples and cities can be found all over Yucatán, even inconspicuously “just sitting there” on the side of highways.
One example is Piramides Puuc on the toll-free Mérida-Valladolid-Cancún highway, just outside the tiny town of Holcá.
But the real name of this site happens to be Kaax, which in Yucatec-Maya translates as “chicken.” This fact is lost on virtually everyone, as you really have to “dig” into archaeological journals to find any reference to it.
Kaax is also often referred to as Kantunil, which translates to “the place of the precious stones” and which is also the name of the municipality in which the site and the nearby town of Holca are located.
Though the site has not been restored, it has been extensively surveyed and dated to sometime during the middle Classical period, likely between the 3rd and 4th centuries.
It is, of course, not surprising to find archaeology in this region, as other larger Maya settlements including Yaxuná and Izamal are nearby.
The nickname Piramides Puuc likely originates from a mask representing the rain god that used to be along the base of one of the pyramids. Though it’s unclear exactly what happened, the stone mask seems to either have been taken by INAH or, more likely, looted by inscrutable folks looking to make a quick buck.
But despite the former presence of the aforementioned lost rain god mask, the site seems to exhibit architectural features much more consistent with those found in sites like Izamal or Aké.
The remains of Kaax are bisected by the highway. When traveling east, the best-preserved structures can be seen on the right.
Carved stone can still be seen at a handful of structures in Kaax, especially along their bases, though getting through the bush to get to them is not an easy feat.
Given its proximity to other similarly sized sites, such as Xtogil, it is likely that these cities were politically linked and perhaps governed by a larger center, such as Yaxuná.
Directly behind the main architectural group is a cenote called Xcach. It is beautiful but not ideal for swimming.
The cenote is teeming with wildlife as it’s a great permanent water source. Sections of the cenote have been cordoned off because of nearby cattle pastures.
There are also nearby a handful of structures that appear to be Prehispanic in origin. If you have any more information about them, please drop us a quick line.
If you go
If you decide to explore the ruins of Kaax, make sure to park responsibly, as most of its visible architecture is on a particularly sharp curve on the highway. When traveling from Mérida, keep your eyes open for Cenote Xcach where you will find a safe place to park.
Some of the structures in Kaax have recently also been cordoned off, but there is a path you can still follow to get a good view. That said, it’s not exactly an easy hike, so be mindful of your fitness and willingness to get a little cut up by branches before venturing in too far.
If you are in the area early in the morning, I strongly suggest you stop across from Holca’s main square for the splendid chicharron tacos at Taqueria 3 Hermanos.
Thank you to my friend and colleague Arturo Victoria for his assistance collecting information for this article.
