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! 

Beach Finds Xpu-Ha Mexico

Xpu-Ha Beach is a local beach and resort area 21 miles south of Playa Del Carmen Mexico. The area is remote away from the City noise and busy tourists spots as well close to Ancient Mayan coastal City of Tulum. Cenote Manati, one of the largest natural water cenotes is located at the north end of the Bay making the sleepy coastal town a favorite of serious divers. 

Beaches in the Mexican Rivera allow for foot traffic, so getting out of the resort to walk down the beach will fill an afternoon with local wonders, different shopping areas and access to more activities. You can rent jets skis, water sporting equipment, take a sunset sailboat ride or go parasailing. Divers can expect to get a discount on diving excursions booked through local dive shops on

the beach rather than book through the resort. Local merchants set up shopping areas and stroll up and down the beach offering hats, cigars and souvenirs to tourists lounging  at each resort. These merchants work on a system of negotiation with no set prices. Ask several vendors their price before buying an item. Having both local currency and US currency helps. 

Xpu-Ha is somewhat undeveloped, so an afternoon walk for me turned into a geological adventure. I stumbled upon a beach of fossilized coral. The Yucatan Peninsula, the exposed portion of the larger Yucatan Platforms is mostly limestone and believed to have been formed 65 million years ago when an asteroid hit somewhere in the Caribbean basement. The shock-waves of this impact are believed to have created the famous 'Ring of Cenotes'.

Recently archaeologists connected two of the largest cave systems on the Peninsula, the Sac Actun and Dos Ojos networks. In these caves, they discovered Mayan relics, an elaborate shrine to the God of War and Commerce and the remains of a giant sloths. In the treasure trove of artifacts, divers found ceramics, human remains, wall hangings and animal remains enabling archaeologists to date pieces of the cave all the way back to the Pliestocene epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago) 

Fossilized coral is easy to find in patches on remote, untouched parts of the beach. There are so many types of coral frozen in time in the rocks, blue coral, brain coral and pillar coral. Fan coral and brain coral are scattered all over the beach. Some of these specimens are not dead, they can be thrown back in to reattach to the reef. Most Countries have rules about taking rocks, shells and coral from beaches. Most tourist take home a small amount of shells and coral from Mexico with no issue. Check with customs in the arriving Country to be sure they allow these items back in to the Country. You may need to claim them on the customs form. 

If you can't take a favorite beach find home, be sure to get a picture of the item. These photos can be made into home decor or end up in a scrap book later keeping the memory of finding the treasure without the hassle of taking it home. Beaches Playa Del Carmen south have lots of little shells to find, so take a couple of zip lock backs for transport. Also, rinse anything you take home with you thoroughly and be sure there are no live creatures living in the shells you find. 

Look for My reviews of Tulum and Playa Del Carmen All Inclusive Resorts posting soon! 

Happy Treasure Hunting, Beach Bums!

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.