Palenque Mayan Ruin Site

Palenque Ruin Site
Chiapas State, Mexico

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

Palenque Ruin Site view of the complex called the Palace from the Temple of the Cross

Views of Palenque's temples from the Temple of the Cross

View of temple xIv from the Temple of the
Cross

Palenque, an ancient Mayan city, was at its height from 450 AD to 900 AD

Palenque, named by the Spanish and meaning fortification, is an abandoned stone city built by the Mayans between
the 3rd and 9th centuries AD near the Usamacinta River in Mexico's southern most state of Chiapas. Once an
important Mayan political center, reaching its height between 600Ad and 800 AD when the population reached 8000
people, the city was abandoned by 900 AD for unknown reasons.
A small town occupies a hillside a few 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.

White VW collective taxis make runs to the ruin about every 15 minutes and cost about $1. USD. They round the
rotary at the Cabeza Maya, a large stone sculptured head at the entrance to the town.
Campgrounds, hotels, and posadas are plentiful in the town of 85,000 with campgrounds and inns on the entrance
road to the ruin.

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. "

Occupied from 100 AD, the sites Classic Period buildings took shape between 600 AD and 800 AD.

Legend and stone inscription suggest that the first inhabitants were Olmec people and the artifacts in
the small museum on the entrance road would bolster that theory.

Temple of the Cross

View of the Palace from the steps
of temple xII. (The Skull)

Palenque's most notable leader was 7 Th Century ruler K'inich Hanab Pakal II who ruled from 615 to 683
AD. He built the so-called Temple of the Inscriptions dedicated in 692 atop the pyramid that would later
enclose 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.

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 Pakal 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.