Ek-Balam

Schedule

subir Days: Monday to Sunday
Schedule: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Cost: $62.00 pesos

Nota: Los domingos el acceso a las zonas arqueológicas es gratuito para visitantes nacionales, previa indentificación. De lunes a sábado se aplican descuentos para estudiantes y maestros con credencial vigente, personas de la tercera edad con credencial del INAPAM (antes INSEN) tienen acceso gratuito.

Information

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Ek balam has 45 structures and is surrounded by two concentric stone walls plus another one that unites the central buildings. It has a ball game, a very beautiful arc where a sacbé (sacred path) ended, which in old times connected the Mayan kingdoms; we can also find wakes and the monuments beautifully carved in stone blocks known as hieroglyphic serpents. The structures display several architectonic styles but there are details that make them unique, like images with wings that resemble angels.

Ek Balam is located 26 km to the north of Valladolid and 186 km to the east of Merida, on the highway to Cancún.

It can be visited every day from 8:00 to 17:00 hours.

As an additional attraction one finds the X-Canché cenote, located 1.5 km from this archaeological zone, with a schedule of Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 16:30 hours. It has the infrastructure to practice rapelling and zip-line rope climbing, with a service of kayaks, cabins, dining room and rest areas.

History

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“Black or dark Jaguar”, possessing majestic hidden constructions between great trees, has resurged of the past revealing some of its secrets. Ek Balam was a site that little knew until recent days, but the investigations not only have allowed to establish that it is a great city, but also that is an important ceremonial center. Even owning several of the common characteristics to the Mayan culture, also shows others that make this place peculiar.

Its history approximately begins from year 300 a.C., to the arrival of the Spaniards. He was capital of the empire of Toh, This site included about 12 km2s with a population of 12 to 18 thousand inhabitants in his main body. One says that Ek Balam was founded by the priest called Ek' Balam or Coch, that arrived from the East and governed the first 40 years.

Large masks, glyphs and stony statues with references to the jaguar and to great characters of the city have been brought to our museums, mainly efigies of their governors, showing which us that it was a city that was to the margin of the cult to Kukulkan.

The explorations have been revealing part of the history of that city, emphasizing the name of another one of their governors, Ukit, as well of their descendants. Even a tomb was found, the name of the man on that tomb was Ukit Kanlek, between whose offerings were shells of marine snails, pectoral, shell nacre, objects of jade, also some representations of faces can be mentioned, fragments of lappets and necklaces. Even some representations of fish were located, including shrimps in shells; and more than 25 containers of deer’s femurs with inscriptions.

Ek Balam has 45 structures, this site is surrounded by two concentric stone walls, also another one that unites the central buildings. These walls had defensive purposes and were used to control the access. It has a ball game, a very beautiful arc where sacbé ends (sacred way), these sacbés were used to connect the Mayan kingdoms, also we can find wakes and the hieroglyphic serpent stones, that are monuments beautifully worked in stone blocks. The structures reunite several architectonic styles but there are details that make them unique, like images with wings that resemble angels.

The main site has been called the Acropolis which is an elevation very imponent and fortified in size and architecture, and it measures 160 mts of length, approximately 70 of width and 31 of height. She has been one of the always excavated great structures in Yucatan. It has numerous constructive stages, in which there is a great amount of quarters vaulted, in different levels and communicated by passages. Underneath the roofs covered with straw that protect the facade, we can appreciate that the complex detail of the incorporated art and the symbolism in the sculptures that adorn this temple, are an artistic wonder.

The rest of their white buildings stay as witnesses of the importance and wealth of this old city, but without a doubt, the amazing sculptures are well preserved and the mystery that becomes involved in this old city make the arrival exciting of their visitors.

Location

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Ek Balam is located 26 km to the north of Valladolid and 186 km to the east of Merida, on the highway to Cancún.

It can be visited every day from 8:00 to 17:00 hours.

Gallery

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