Chacmultún means "piles made of red stone", in the Mayan language it applies specifically to the group of buildings in the northwestern part of the site. Its name was expanded to include the entire ruin.
The ruins were discovered in 1970 by the Austrian explorer Toebert Maler.
The true name is unknown but the name of Chacmultún was coined due to the color of the stones that cover the walls, this tonality is a consequence of the microorganisms that inhabit the place and whose particles, in contact with water and air, redden the stone. This archaeological zone is located in the south of the state of Yucatan, between the towns Tekax and Kantemo, exactly 10 kilometers from Tekax.
This large site, its heart or nuclear part covers approximately one square kilometer, there are three main groups of buildings: Chacmultún, Cabalpak (also known as “Kabalpak” and means “low terrace”), X'ethpool (means “severed head” ) and the center. Building the first three groups on top of the small hills that are a feature of the region.
Most of its buildings were built on foundations of up to 8 m. tall, which gives it an image of supremacy and power.
Chacmultún is a very interesting area, which offers a perception different from anything seen before in pre-Hispanic Mayan cities, particularly due to the reddish hue of the stone. This is why columns, friezes, lintels and other ornamental elements of facades and walls acquire an additional attraction.
Inside some buildings you will be able to appreciate pre-Hispanic murals with various motifs and characters that today are the object of study by experts.
The first group of ruins is built on a polygonal platform of almost 1,200 square meters where you can see at least 5 temples still standing, a chultun or well where the Mayans stored rainwater and some monuments almost to the center of the platform. . The impressive thing about the area is that almost the entire platform is covered with stones as a floor, it can be seen that it was built with luxury or details and in its time it could have seemed a completely walled city.
The facades of the Mayan constructions have a certain resemblance to those found in the quadrangle of the nuns in Uxmal, however in Chacmutún the column-like decoration predominates. The façade of one of the main temples, like Uxmal, are found in some niches shaped like houses which are currently empty.
In the archaeological zone there is a small-sized ball game area, the size of the ball court is only approximately 25 meters and the temples that the Mayan priests occupied are completely destroyed.
Its entry time coincides with other archaeological zones in the region from 08:00 am to 05:00 pm, entries after hours are not accepted, if the hours are violated it is a federal crime since all archaeological zones are supposed to they are federal zone.
Photos of Chacmultun Mayan Ruins
