Cobá, from tiny outpost to the Maya crossroads of commerce
During the late classical era, the city became an important trading hub, as several roads or sacbé converged in its territory.
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A new power rises in the mountains, the mighty Toniná
In the Maya Tzeltal language, Toniná means house of stone, however, the original name of the city found in ancient texts appears as Po or Popo.
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The new and the old meet in Acanceh
Long before the hustle and bustle of mopeds and rickshaws arrived in town, Acanceh had already — for well over a millennia — established itself as a player in the region. Meaning “deer grunt,” Acanceh, 30 kilometers southeast of Mérida, likely had its origins in the 3rd-century C.E. and was likely an outpost of T’Hó (ancient…
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Kabah, the powerful hand of the Puuc valley
An hour-and-a-half south of Mérida and 20 minutes from Uxmal is Kabah, a Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region of western Yucatán. Kabah, which means “powerful hand,” is one of the city-states directly referenced in the Maya text known as the Chilam Balam of Chumayel. On approach, the right hand side of the highway…
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Discover Xcambó, Yucatan’s great Maya port
The ride to Xcambó, just off Yucatán’s Gulf coast in Dzemul, is half the fun. To get to the site from Mérida, take the highway north and then make a right at the large roundabout just before you enter Progreso. From there it’s another 30 minutes or so, but you may want to take it…
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Archaeology | Lodging | Monday
Exploring Dzibilchaltún is easiest for early birds
When thinking of the Yucatán, for many the first image to come to mind is the pyramid of Kukulkán in Chichén Itzá. Although Chichén Itzá is by far the most visited historical attraction on the peninsula, there are another 54 interesting archaeological sites spread across the Mexican states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Campeche. Located roughly…
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Visiting Chichén Itzá to be a little more expensive
Admission fees to Yucatán’s archaeological sites will rise Feb. 1. The confusion will remain the same. Mexican visitors to Chichén Itzá will now pay 239 pesos, up from 210. The fee for international visitors will now be 539 pesos, up from 497. This price hike comes exactly one year since the last increase. The price…
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Lodging | Archaeology | Monday
New findings shed light on ancient Maya royal house
New research identifies inscriptions found at Chichen Itza as referring to individuals belonging to the royal house of Cocom, a common surname to this day in Yucatán. The discovery was made by the archaeologists Eduardo Pérez de Heredia and Peter Biró, who correlated existing information with hieroglyphs found in the structure known as the Temple…
That’s all for now
That’s all for now