Our first stop was the archaeological site of Kabah, a few miles to the south of Uxmal. For the Mayas of the "Puuc", Chac, the rain god, was of prime importance. Because it is a hilly region, there are no "cenotes", the sinkholes which form natural wells in other parts of the peninsula. Thus the people of the "Puuc" were completely dependent upon the rainfall for their survival. In the "Puuc" the buildings are decorated with masks of Chac. At Kabah this veneration of Chac reaches an architectural extreme with a temple that is completely covered with masks of the rain god. You might compare this ornate structure with the baroque churches of Europe of the 17th century.
From a distance, you probably can't make out the faces of Chac that decorate the facade.
Can you see the Chac masks now?
Close up you can clearly see Chac's face.
Chac is portrayed with an elephant-like nose. After 1000 years, most of the noses are broken off, but there are a few that have survived the centuries.
The ruins of Kabah straddle the highway. On the other side of the road, there has been very little restoration work, but you can see mounds of rubble that are obviously pyramids and other buildings. At the end of the path, you suddenly come upon the one restored structure on that side of the highway... the dramatic Arch of Kabah. It probably served as a ceremonial gate into the city. From here there was a road... known in the Mayan language as a "sacbé"... which led all the way to Uxmal.
Our next stop was a recently built attraction along the Puuc Route... The Cacao Museum.
Chocolate was an important part of the culture of the Mayas and the other pre-Hispanic peoples. In fact the beans were used as currency in some of the civilizations. The Cacao Museum is a bit touristy but is quite informative. It is operated by a Belgian chocolate company which also owns a chocolate shop, "Ki-Chocolatl", on Santa Lucía Square in downtown Mérida. The museum is located on a functioning cacao plantation. It consists of a number of thatched huts which contain displays pertaining to chocolate and the life of the ancient Mayas. Along the paths connecting the huts you can see the cacao plants (some with the pods from which the chocolate beans come) as well as other plants and trees typical of the Yucatán. There are also caged animals (spider monkeys, deer and turkeys) which are found in the peninsula. A performance of Mayan ceremonies and a demonstration of the traditional preparation of chocolate are given. If you are traveling through the area, it is certainly worth a visit, especially if you like chocolate. (Is there anyone who doesn't like chocolate?!)
After the Cacao Museum, we went on to another archaeological site of the Puuc, the ruins of the Mayan city of Sayil. Only one building there has been reconstructed, the Palace, but it is a magnificent structure that merits a visit.
Other remains of the city of Sayil are scattered throughout the forest. We took a path leading to the remains of a temple sitting atop a mound of rubble which was once a small pyramid. There were no signs that said that climbing was prohibited, so I made my way to the top.
Our last stop was the archaeological site of Labná. We actually had to do some backtracking. Both our driver, Jaime, and I thought that it was in one direction, when in fact it was beyond the Cacao Museum. We certainly would not have wanted to miss Labná. Perhaps it was the late afternoon light, but Labná seemed to be the most magical of the three ruins that we visited. From the Palace of Labná there is an elevated "sacbé" (Mayan road) which leads to the most photographed structure of the city, the famous Arch of Labná. It may have been a gateway leading into a palace courtyard. It is intricately decorated with mosaic designs and depictions of thatched Mayan huts.
Labná was certainly a beautiful ending to a fascinating day along the Puuc Route!
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