Mayan Ruins: Tulum, Mexico

Tulum sits at the top of coastal cliffs and served as a major land and sea trade hub distributing to nearby Coba and then to cities further inland. The City was once named Zama meaning the City of the Dawn as it faces the sunrise. All commodities on the Yucatan landed in Tulum and went straight to Coba where they were taxed and distributed. For the same reason, some of the richest Families lived at the well fortified site.

Salt and textiles were the main imports as well as Obsidian mined in the Guatemala Highlands. Exports included copper items from inland sources and feathers. Transporters traveled South to river systems taking them inland like the Rio Motagua and the Rio Usumacincta/Pasion. Metals, Stones and Minerals were mined in the highlands of Guatemala and Southern Mexico and transported back to the Atlantic Ocean eventually landing in Tulum.

Obsidian (volcanic ash) is one of several stones and minerals used for sacrifice and bloodletting rituals, everyday objects and alter decorations. Chert (flint), Jadeite, Iron Pyrite, Cinnabar, Hematite were also traded through Tutum and distributed through Coba. Each mining City of origin had work centers to prep raw materials into ambiguous shapes. Each city had work centers to transform raw materials into weapons, household items, decor and whatever else they needed for everyday life with their regional and personal art.

There are three major pyramid structures on the site. The Pyramid El Castille was used for worship and guiding canoes to the port City. There are two small lookout windows facing the water Mayans used for security. The Temple of the Frescoes was used as an observatory tracking the movements of the sun and the Temple of the Descending Gods was used for ceremony and ritual sacrifice. The site also features a community alter temple in the center of what was once a residential neighborhood inhabited by the rich noble lords.

It was the first Mayan site where I could really see what life may have been like for these ancient people. Looking at the housing structures, one can imagine a living room, sleeping quarters and cooking spaces. The community temple would have been adorned with offerings from residents and visitors moving goods through the City.

There is a small cenotes at the northern end of the City which would have supplied water to everyone living here and a security wall extending from the coastal cliff and surrounding part of the houses. The wall is 9 - 16 ft in height and 26 ft thick and runs 400 meters. This wall, the Ocean and the use of watchtowers at each inland corner made Tulum one of the most fortified Mayan Cities in ancient Mesoamerica.  Tulum experienced the height of its civilization in the Post Classic Period around AD 1200 and remained occupied until the Spaniards arrived in the 16th Century. The site was completely abandoned at the end of the 16th Century.

I booked the excursion through Barcelo Grand Maya Resort. It is a 1/2 day excursion and does not include lunch, though there are several restaurants at the entrance to the archeological site next to an outdoor air market. Here, vendors offer tourists commemorative souvenirs, local art, clothing and more. Vendors negotiate the price of each item, so it is good to have money on hand from both countries to get the best deal.

There is a lot of walking in Tulum, so be prepared with comfortable shoes. There is a tram from the parking lot to the park entrance making rounds throughout the day. If You have someone in Your party unable to walk long distances, it is the best option. The tram only takes Mexico's currency. The beach is spectacular and open daily for swimming, so swim gear if You plan on enjoying ocean activities. There are stairs leading down to a small public beach. Caribbean crystal blue waters meet sand and cliff for a perfect swimming experience. Tulum is very windy so, My sun hat was a nuisance. Stay tuned for reviews of the Barcelo Grand Maya Resort! 

ATM Caves, Belize: Portal to the Underworld

Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the cave of the Crystal Sepulchre, is located just outside of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The Maya archaeological site contains many artifacts and skeletons including ceramic and stoneware. The most notable skeleton, located in the main chamber is that of an 18 year old girl who is assumed to have been sacrificed. She is known as the 'Crystal Maiden' because her bones have been calcified and appear to sparkle, Most of the artifacts have calcified and remain attached to the inside of the caves.

The main cave system is approximately 3 miles long and has a river running through 2 miles of the main cave. Mayans carved animals and set up alters in the caves for rituals believed to have been dedicated to the rain God, Shac and other underworld deities. They believed the cave to be the dwelling place of the Mayan death gods and the subterranean court of the "Lords of Xibalba" and many of the ceramic bowls are marked with 'kill holes' indicating these items were used in sacrificial ceremonies. 

I hired Danielia's Shuttle Service to take Me to the cave site early before tour buses started showing up. I would recommend hiring a personal driver over joining a tour as there is less traffic and the caves are not as crowded. Being a UNESCO World Heritage site makes the caves tours extremely popular as an excursion for anyone in the area. I highly recommend bringing Your own river shoes, but note the shoes have to be close toed. They do not allow open toed shoes on the tour. If You do not have shoes, they do have shoes to rent for a minimal fee. 

Upon arrival, each person is assigned a tube, helmet with attached head lamp and life jacket. Once everyone is ready, there is a short walk through the jungle to get to the beginning of the caves. The jungle is a magical place where all of the plants and animals work symbiotically as a part of the greater whole. Everything has its purpose and place in the eco system. The termites eat the fallen tree parts on the ground while the tree provides a nesting spot for the termites. The vines add nutrients to the trees and vice versa. The flora and fauna is so green and alive. I always feel lucky to be able to spend time here. 

Once at the mouth of the main cave, the guide ties all of the floats together and pulls them into the water. The guide swims along side the floats pulling them into the flow of the river keeping everyone away from the rocks along the shore. Once our party was inside the cave, the guide had us look back at the entrance where the Mayans had carved the rocks to look like an animal guarding the area. We stopped on the shore inside the cave and got off the rafts to explore the dry areas where I found a sleeping bat. There is a large population of bats in the caves along with spiders, though I didn't see any of the spiders.

In this dry area, We were able to see the cave's stalagmites and stalactites. Due to calcification, the formations sparkled magically in our headlamp lights. I brought an additional flashlight, which I highly recommend, to get pictures of the inside of the cave which is why I was able to get a clear shot of a sleeping bat. 

Once back at the shore, our party got back on the rafts and pushed off the banks to the center of the cave. The ceilings were incredible. I could see why the Mayans believed they came from the caves and returned to the underworld here. The ceiling looked a lot like the night sky or the terrain of a different planet. At one point, everyone turned off their headlamps to see just how dark the cave was without artificial lights. It was a bit spooky.

This is where they sacrificed their citizens to the Gods for a myriad of reasons. Knowing that made me wonder what was in the water beneath us besides the fish, crabs and other water creatures who called this cave river home. We made our way slowly through the cave system, the guide pointing out features used by the Mayans including a standing water pool and high ledges used for pushing sacrifices to their deaths. 

After about 45 minutes in the cave, the river pushed us back out into the open jungle. The guide told us about all of the plants and trees on the shores of the river. I was surprised to learn about the Allspice tree. Up until this point, I believed all spice to be a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves. Our guide told us about the allspice tree and when I was surprised, swam to the shore to collect a few leaves. Sure enough, the leaves smelled and tasted just like all spice.

We floated on the open river for another hour before reaching the end of the tour where our tubes were untied to be carried along the trail back to where we started. A lunch of grilled chicken, beans and rice and coleslaw was served to everyone taking the tour. Most excursions include lunch, but if you hired a private driver and didn't bring lunch, you can purchase a meal for around $7USD. 

I love ancient Mayan sites and always try to consider what life must have been like for them over 1,000 years ago. Mayans were extremely superstitious and yet very brave people. These caves seem intimidating to someone used to artificial light and modern accommodations. To the Mayans, these caves were comfortable spaces meant to connect them to their underworld Gods. They were frequented by whole communities and individuals looking for quiet spaces to build alters for communicating with the afterlife.

This is a must do when traveling to Belize as spending time in these spaces changes the way one sees their seemingly complicated modern life. Check the weather before scheduling a tour as they close the caves when it rains enough to flood parts of the caves cutting off exits. Several excursion companies offer tours in the area as well as private drivers.

Danielia's Shuttle Service is reliable and extremely knowledgeable about the area.  I truly enjoyed My time with her as our guide.  Her vehicles are clean and well maintained,  her prices reasonable for such personable service.

Look for more on Belize Mayan sites and reviews of My stay in San Ignacio and San Pedro on Cape Caulker in future posts.

Visit Chichen Itza, Ollamaliztli, The Ballgame

Central to Society in Northern Maya Lowlands, Chichen Itza is the largest Maya Metropolitan City and considered to have had the most diverse culture. Serving as a political, economical and cultural center, ruling parties established the water port city, Isla Cerritos for importing obsidian from Central Mexico and Gold from Central America. In it's prime, the City held jurisdiction over Maya civilization from Central Yucatan to the North coast, extending down the east and west coasts of the Peninsula and is considered the reason for the decline of Coba as a central trading city. 

El Castillo, Main Step Pyramid

Built in the Terminal Classic Period, Chichen Itza enjoyed prosperity in North Maya from the late Classic (c AD 600 - 900) through the Terminal Classic (c. AD 800 - 900) and into the early portion of the Postclassic period (c. AD 900 - 1200). In addition to El Castillo, the main step pyramid, Chichen Itza houses Cenote Segrado, a place of pilgrimage and site of sacrifices during drought, several temples, a wall of skull carvings representing those sacrificed and a steam bath. 

Chichen Itza houses the largest Ball Court found to date. It is believed the Ballgame, or ollamaliztli, was associated with human sacrifice rituals. The game is seen as a battle between life and death, courts considered portals to the underworld. Further archaeological discoveries show the ballgame may have had multiple purposes. For instance, Women may have competed with each other in fertility rituals. Children were taught the game at a young age and competed locally and regionally for rank. Ball courts are present in most Mayan Cities, however, they are much smaller and appear to have been used for local rituals, training and player selection. Later, teams would travel to play in Chichen Itza during regional competition. The ballgame was played by most mesoamerican societies including the later Aztec Civilization. 

Mayan Ballgame Hoop

At rare times, game was played by royalty. Winning meant rain for the season and bountiful crops. Losing meant the people would experience terrible wrath from the Snake Gods.  There are many examples where Ruling members used the ballgame to defuse and resolve conflict wagering everything from gold to maize corn, even territory on the outcomes. The Maya believed whether playing for Life or for Sacrifice, doing so made them an active participant in the cosmic order of the Universe. Everything about Maya belief is an extension of the cultural interpretation of individual relationships with the afterlife. Everything about collective Mayan expression revolves around ritual and ceremony as a way to control part of the outcome. 

Maya Ballplayer

The game was played by two opposing teams of two to four people. Each team is confined to half of the court with the object being to volley a 9 lb solid rubber ball back and forth using only their hips until one team fails to return it. The mason courts were long open spaces with steeply inclined sides and a stone circle hoop installed in the top center of each side. Players would use their hips to propel the ball through the stone circle for point advantage, though no one is sure of the actual point systems or official rules observed by the ancient Maya. It is noted the game itself was extremely difficult and caused players severe bruising among other common injury. It is hard to imagine the game being played by so few players on such a large field as Chichen Itza. Running up steep inclines, volleying a dense heavy ball without the use of their hands is an impressive feat. It is believed the winners of ritual ballgames were the ones to be sacrificed. Modern society can only marvel at the idea of competing for death where the prize is the players demise. Mayan society considered sacrificing their lives to the God the ultimate honor, martyring themselves for the benefit of the whole of their communities. 

Chichen Itza is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site and a must see when traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula. Tours can be arranged through any hotel, resort or through designated tour companies in local townships. The drive from the Rivera Maya is approximately three hours one way. Lunch is provided at the archaeological site, but plan for a long day. Staying onsite at Hacienda Chichen Resort and Maya Spa allows for more immersive Chichen Itza experience as guests enjoy planetarium shows,  night astrology activities and private tours of the area. 

Hacienda Chichen Resort and Maya Spa

Look for more posts on visiting Chichen Itza and other Mayan sites from The Grand Adventure of the Blond Brunette in the near future. Email BlondeBrunetteAdventure@gmail.com for tips and advise on planning a trip to The Yucatan Peninsula.