The ancient city of Calakmul description and photos - Mexico: Campeche (Topic)

Ancient city of Calakmul description and photos - Mexico: Campeche. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Calakmul.

Photo and description

In the south of Mexico, there was once one of the largest Mayan settlements - Calakmul. In the Mayan language, its name means "adjacent hills." Also known as "Kaan" and "Kingdom of the Snakes", the city is of great interest to tourists and scientists, since it remains unexplored to this day.

In 1931, the American biologist Cyrus Landell discovered its ruins in three hundred kilometers southeast of the state of Campeche. They began to explore the ancient place half a century later - in 1952. In the city, which at that time occupied a huge area - 30 square kilometers, more than six thousand buildings were discovered, which means that Calakmul was not the last city in the Mayan political and economic system. If we talk about the population, then it was approximately 22-25 thousand people.

The city has the classic city structure of that time. From the center in all directions there are 7 sakbe roads (the Mayan roads that connected ceremonial places or cities with each other). In one of the pyramids, the tomb of Emperor Yuknoa Yich'aak K'ak ', the last ruler of the city, was found. On several steles that have retained their appearance, one can find images of the king, queen and even the mistresses of the first.

Scientists and archaeologists have done tremendous work to recreate the appearance of the ancient Mayan city. Tourists who come to Calakmul can not only walk along the stone streets of their ancestors, but also climb one of the pyramids. From the height of the pyramid you can see the ancient capital and the tropical jungle that surrounds it. The territory is home to various animals that can be seen: wild boars, monkeys, pheasants and the sacred bird quetzal.

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Topic: The ancient city of Calakmul description and photos - Mexico: Campeche.