One of the reasons I wanted to come to the town of Vallodalid, in the interior of the Yucatan, was to see some of the Mayan ruins. The Mayans, as you may know, had a quite advanced civilisation between roughly 600 BC and 1400 AD. They went through several stages, we now know, as they expanded their influence from the Pacific Coast of southern Mexico, east and north into the Yucatan, into south-central Mexico, and into what are now neighbouring countries. They practised advanced astronomy, mathematics, and writing well before most European countries could do this. And their cities, often by the Classical Period, numbered over ten thousand people at their peak. The had an advanced social structure in many ways, yet they engaged in human sacrifice, and ritual blood-letting (as did Europeans of the day). And for all their scientific knowledge, they never figured out the true arch in architecture. And they never learned to use carts with wheels (both because there was no material hard enough for a proper axle, and there were no animals which could be used to pull these things).
For unknown reasons, it was abandoned as a town in the twelfth century, and became overgrown by the jungle. "Discovered" by the French in the late nineteenth century, it was then forgotten again until the late twentieth century, when some Americans began to look at it. Uncovering it began in 1990 and continues as money becomes available. One of the pluses for us is that it is less developed than some of the other sites. So there are fewer "touts" pushing stuff on you. And you can explore all the ruins, something not available at the better-developed sites.
First, the Entrance Arch (not an arch as we know it), used for ceremony, and connected to one of the five "sacbe" or "white roads" built on top of the red soil to connect this city to the others in the area.
Then the observatory and worship area (remember, the art of astronomy was very developed).
This is one of the few rounded structures in the city.
There are several other areas in the plaza, including an outdoor steam bath for people to cleanse themselves before entering the temples, and the giant main building, now called the "Acropolis", which served as the home for the royal family and his court. I will include pictures of some of the sculptures found, as well as view of the flat country around this area.
It's a very impressive building overall.
A final picture of the site from the top of the acropolis. And remember, this is only the part that has been excavated. The entire site is twelve kilometers square.
A final word, as well. The ordinary working people lived outside the plaza and formal structures, and of course little is known about them.
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Location:Calle 27,Valladolid,Mexico
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