Ek Balam

A larger map can be accessed by clicking on the image above.

Alexander called Chichen Itza the ¨Disney World¨of Mayan sites because of its size, impressive construction, tourist infrastructure, and the dozens (hundreds?) of vendors who line the pathways between the buildings.

Chichen Itza is the core of an important tourist industry supporting an extended area of central Yucatan. Tulum is similar and while Coba attracts many fewer visitors than Chichen Itza or Tulum, there too large buses will disgorge hundreds of visitors at a time.

In stark contrast was our last archeological site at Ek Balam. Far from any city or village, the roads narrow more and more until a single lane weaves through the brush. From the top of the temples nothing but trees can be seen in every direction.

As we arrived on Thursday afternoon a large group of Mexican high school students were leaving. But for the nearly two hours we were at Ek Balam we shared the site only with Miguel and six others, including a husband, wife, and son from Houston.

Ek Balam has been a site of human settlement for a very long time. Some of the current construction dates back to at least 100AD. Like Coba, it is mostly an example of the Mayan classic period 300 to 800.

In most Mayan construction stucco was used extensively. Over time most of the stucco has worn away. But at Ek Balam a few extraordinary pieces survived and are shown below.


This is a view from the top of the Oval Palace toward the Acropolis (see map). Fred is the white hatted figure in the lower left.



Alexander is standing in front of a stucco ornamented doorway about half-way up the Acropolis



To see close-ups of these objects, please click on the images.


From the top of the Acropolis looking toward the Oval Palace. Fred is the small white figure beneath the trees at the foot of the Acropolis. Please click on the image for a larger view. Fred is talking to Miguel.