Why This Is The Time To Visit Ek Balam

Recent excavations and conservation efforts at Ek Balam (from the Yucatec-Maya Jaguar Star) have brought renewed attention to several of its most impressive structures. These include the ancient city’s main ballcourt complex, the so-called twin houses, a series of recently restored structures along jungle paths, and its towering Acropolis, featuring the breathtaking stucco artworks that adorn this massive temple. 

At 160 meters long, 31 meters tall, and 70 meters wide, Ek Balam’s Acropolis is among the most impressive temples in the Maya world. This is not just because of its size, but especially because of the beautifully conserved and restored ancient artworks it contains. Once arriving at the main staircase, visitors encounter large stucco reliefs on either side covered in hieroglyphs. These figures represent the extended tongues of celestial serpents, engraved with the name of the king Ukit Kan Lek Tok’, who ordered the construction of the Acropolis complex, which also served as his final resting place, as well as for several other members of his line.  

The Monster of the Earth, not of this world

Among the most captivating features of Ek Balam is the Acropolis “Monster of the Earth Facade” and its surrounding celestial figures, often referred to as “angels,” which stand out as some of the most sophisticated and symbolically rich reliefs in the Maya world. 

The “Monster of the Earth” or Witz (Mountain) Monster is typically depicted with an open maw, lined with teeth, and adorned with swirling motifs. It represents a sacred mountain — a portal to Xibalba, the Maya underworld. For the Maya, caves and mountains were sacred spaces where the living could commune with ancestors and deities. The monster’s open jaws symbolize both death and rebirth, framing the tomb as a place of transformation where the king’s spirit would begin its journey to the afterlife. 

The Monsters of the Earth at Ek Balam are among the few examples of this form of artwork in the north of the Yucatán Peninsula, as they are much more representative of the Chenes style of architecture of southern Campeche. 

Flanking and sitting upon the Witz doorway are a series of high-relief stucco figures wearing large protruding regalia, which are easy to interpret as wings, but are in reality decorative plumed crests and capes representing macaw feathers. These beings are neither entirely human nor angelic. They are likely wayob (spirit companions), which is to say spirit ancestors, their nature allowing free movement across the underworld, heavens, and earth. These supernatural beings are understood to act as protectors of the entombed kings within the temple. Other interpretations suggest they represent the Pauahtun, wind gods who held up the sky, or even manifestations of the ruler’s own divine lineage.

While the Monster of the Earth on the left hand of the temple has best survived the ravages of time, another very similar example of this type of colossal artwork can be observed directly opposite the main staircase on the right. In both cases, these features can be observed thanks to the INAH archaeologists from Mexico and abroad. 

A full list of the stucco reliefs found in the Acropolis is too extensive to list, but visitors should take their time to explore the entire structure instead of darting directly to the virtually complete Monster of the Earth and then moving on.

Other Restoration Efforts

As impressive as the restoration of the stucco artworks at Ek Balam is, the work done during the past year to open chambers within the ballcourt is also notable, as they had for decades been off limits. It has been suggested that these interior chambers could have served as temazcales or pre-Hispanic saunas to purify the bodies and souls of the players before the ballgame, or Poc ta Poc ceremony. 

Also receiving recent restoration is Structure 16, which is believed by some scholars to have served as a center for the study of the heavens, as well as playing an important role in the civic life of the city. One of the most appreciated renovations at Ek Balam in recent years is the opening of several chambers within its temples, which allow visitors to observe the vaulted interiors of these rooms, but also offer shelter from the sudden rains that often seem to come out of nowhere at the site. 

Why visit now?

Because the most recent restoration project at Ek Balam just wrapped up, it’s unlikely the site will look as amazing as it does now, for some time to come. This is not to say there is no more work to be done; it is the opposite. The area of the site open to visitors is minuscule when compared to its true extension, and even within the archaeological zone, enormous structures like structures E2 and E3, which flank the Acropolis (and are almost the same size), have yet to be restored at all. Still, if you walk behind these structures, sections of their walls are visible, providing a hint of just how impressive they must have been. 

Cenote X-Canche, a birders’ paradise

Roughly a mile from the site’s core is the community-run Cenote X-Canche, which also houses the remains of several unrestored structures. The cenote itself is very easy to access and is wonderful for swimming.

Aside from the cenote, the surrounding area is fantastic for spotting birds, including summer tangers, woodpeckers, the masked tityra, and perhaps most notably, the region’s favourite, the Turquoise Mot Mot, or Pajaro T’oh. The food at the restaurant is not half bad, and the prices are more than reasonable. It is, overall, a wonderful experience. 

Explore Ek Balam With Us

If you want to visit Ek Balam or any other site in Yucatán or Mesoamerica and learn more about the highlights, book a trip with us. Contact me at carlosrosado@roofcatmedia.com