Palenque History, Mayan Ruin Site, Photos, Chiapas State, Mexico

Palenque History, Mayan Ruin Site, Photos, Chiapas State, Mexico

Palenque's Temple of the Inscriptions above the tomb of the Emperor
Pacal, ruler from 615 AD to 683 AD

Palenque Ruin Site view of the Temple of the Inscriptions, a building that
housed the tomb of the Emperor Pacal, leader from 615 to 683 AD.

Palenque, an Ancient Mayan City,
was at its Height from 600 AD to 900 AD

Palenque History
Palenque was settled in 100 AD and saw a florescence between the 5th and 9th
centuries AD. The city, near the Usumacinta River in Mexico's southern most State of
Chiapas, was a regional power during the Classic era.
Palenque ruled as an important Mayan political center until 900 AD when the people
abandoned the city, By 1000 AD for unknown reasons, the city was deserted.

The modern town of Palenque (85,000) occupies a hillside 8 miles from the site
where ADO bus service is available as is other services and tours to nearby sites such
as Bonampak and Yaxchilan. Tours also leave the area for the cascades of Agua
Azule and for San Cristobal de las Casas.

Occupied from 100 AD, the sites Classic Period buildings that still stand, took shape
between 600 AD and 1000 AD.

Legend and stone inscription suggest to some researchers that the first inhabitants
were Olmec people. They cite artifacts in the small museum at the lower entrance to the
site that show Olmec artistic influences.

Palenque's most notable leader was 7 Th Century king or emperor Pacal who ruled from 615 to 683 AD. He built
the so-called Temple of the Inscriptions dedicated in 692 atop the pyramid enclosing his tomb.

After the decline of the center, the area farmers continued to live in the valley below the city but according to
reports the area was nearly deserted when the Spanish arrived in 1520.

Friar Diego de Landa (1524-1579) described the city in 1567 writings available in a book at Palenque's
museum bookstore: "Yucatan Before And After The Conquest. "

American travel writer John Lloyd Stephens and English artist Frederick Catherwood made trips to the area in
1839 and 1842, documenting the sites with text and drawings in their publication, "Incidents of Travel In The
Yucatan" published in 1843.

Controlled archaeology commenced with a Tulane University expedition headed by Franz Blom in
1923. Later Mexican researchers headed by Albert Ruiz Lhuillier, working from 1949 to 1952, would
discover the tomb of Pacal at the ground level within the pyramidal platform supporting the Temple of
the Inscriptions. Scientific work continues within the site which is presently 10% excavated and
stabilized.

Palenque
transportation reaches
Bonampak

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Palenque History is found in legend and stone inscription at the Mayan ruin
site which suggest to some researchers that the first inhabitants were Olmec
people.
Palenque's buildings, dating from the 5th to the 9th centuries AD, were
abandoned by 1000 AD

Palenque's History is written in the many glyphs found at the Mayan Ruin Site.
Now being deciphered. The stone inscription and temple artifacts yield dates
and names. To some researchers the art suggest that the first inhabitants were
Olmec people, a cultural group that had lived not to far north in Veracruz and
Tabasco State at La Venta and San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan.

Palenque had its major building stages between the 5th and 9th centuries AD.
Palenque was abandoned by 1000 AD for unknown reasons.