Palenque

Palanque, one of the most important Mayan Archeological sites, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is also one of the last sites where you are actually allowed to climb the pyramids. The result in a very tiring day, because of course yo have to climb every single one. Then, when it is time to leave, you discover that you must climb down hundreds of steps to get back to the parking area.

This is a Mayan site. Mayans did not offer human sacrifices to the gods. They did study astronomy and they did create the "Mayan Calendar". This calendar had eighteen months of twenty days each. Each of these days was named, but there were five days left over (18 X 20 only makes 360 days). These days were placed in the summer (July) and did not have names. They were considered very unlucky, so all of the people stayed at home and did nothing on these days.

One ruler of this city was called Pakal. He inherited power when he was only twelve years old, so his mother actually ruled until he was fifteen. Pakal ruled over a growing and prosperous city until his death at the age of 80.

In palanque, the Mayans developed a very accurate system of mathematics. They first utilized the numeral 0, allowing them to calculate large numbers.

When Pakal died, he did so with a sphere in one hand and a cube in the other, thus paying homage to geometry.

The most valuable item in Palenque was jade. Pakal had several body piercings which allowed him to wear jade jewelry. The largest pyramid was his tomb. He was placed in a coffin under the centre of the pyramid, accessible only by a long tunnel. With him was buried an amazing array of jade masks and jewelry. When this treasure trove was discovered, each piece was taken out, measured carefully and recorded. Duplicates were made, but the then originals were returned to the tomb, and that is where they stay to this day. Duplicates of his tomb and of the jade treasures are in the Museo de Archeologia in Mexico City and in the Jade Museum in San Christobal.

The stone cover on top of Pakal's coffin has a carving showing him rising up from the underworld and entering the heavens. Placed on its side, this carving really does look like he is piloting a spaceship. Erich von Däniken used this image as a centrepiece of his theory that humans came to earth from space.

This was called the House of the Skull. It was our first
good view of a Mayan arch.

And here is the skull which gave it its name.

This is the first ruin which showed real interior spaces.

This is the tree of life, worshipped by the Mayans.

This is the pyramid which is built over Pakal's tomb.

Pakal's home

Windows were shaped like T's mimicking the tree of life.

The orange colour is what remains of the paint which covered the entire structure.

This is inside Pakal's Palace. It is a toilet and it actually
had running water, diverted from a nearby stream.

Pakal's Front Porch

The porch from outside

This fellow landed beside me as I climbed a temple.

The tops of all of the structures had
honeycombs like this, adding to the
height and bringing the structures
closer to the gods.

Deb can't resist a great tree.

This stream began above the ruins and was redirected
to provide water for the people.