Discover The Ancient Temple Pyramids Built By The Ancient Mayas

By Frank D. Gardner


Before the arrival of the European conquerors, the Mayan civilization was discovered to be one of the most sophisticated cultures that ever existed in the Western Hemisphere.

During the peak of the ancient Maya civilization from 300 to 900 AD it was composed of over 40 cities that have reached the borders of Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico.

It was in the Yucatan Peninsula, Chiapas and Tabasco that the Mayan ruins were discovered. There are actually numerous ancient sites which have been discovered as well as excavated in Mexico and there were a few which have overgrown and not yet been discovered.

The Amazing And Historic Mayan Temples Of Chichen Itza

One of the most well known Mayan sites is the Chichen Itza. The various most visited ancient temples here are the Templo de los Guerreros or Temple of the Warriors, El Caracol, Ossario and El Castillo.

Also known as the Temple of Kulkucan, the El Castillo has 365 steps and each of its steps represents each day of the year. Each of the four sides of this pyramid has 91 steps and the top platform is the 365th step.

Among the Chichen Itza structures, the Temple of the Warriors is the most striking. It is a late classic Maya structure that can accommodate a large gathering owing to its enormous size. There are four platforms in this structure having 200 square and round columns on its west and south sides.

El Caracol literally means snail or winding staircase; this unique pre-Columbian Maya structure functioned as an observatory tower in Chichen Itza.

Another stepped pyramid structure of Chichen Itza is the Ossario which is a lot like the El Castillo however smaller in size. It was Edward H. Thompson who excavated this temple in the late part of the 1800's. He was also the one who named this structure the Temple of the High Priest because he has found some precious artifacts like jade beads and skeletons.

The Mayan Temples Of Palenque

Palenque is an important city in Mexico as it is a Mayan archaeological site. This area includes many of the most recognized ancient structures such as the Temple of the Inscriptions, The Palace, Observation Tower, Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Sun, Temple of The Skull, and Temple of the Count and Temple XIII.

In Palenque, the most prominent ancient Maya structure is the Temple of the Inscription. It has a height of 66 feet. On its roof, there was once a roof comb and the temple has 5 entrance doors. The four piers seen in the middle of the temple are deemed the remains of the stuck figures which could have ended up being there. It was in the Temple of the Cross that the great king K'inich Kan B'alam's complete records of life and death were found.

The Temple of the Skull is likewise referred to as Temple XII which is situated right alongside Temple XIII. The two temples were constructed on top of a big platform and each structure has a stairway going to the top of the temples. Based on an archaeologist, the top structures were built on existing buildings.

Ancient Mayan Temples Of Tulum

The Pyramid El Castillo as well as the Temple Del Dios Descendente or also called the Temple of the Descending God are the significant temples found in Tulum.

The Pyramid El Castillo is the most prominent temple in Tulum. It has the shape of a pyramid and it sits at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Moreover, this temple served as a watchtower as well as lighthouse because there are two lanterns at the top, guiding the boats that go in and out of the port.

The small but significant structure in Tulum is known as the Temple of the Descending Gods. A bizarre stucco relief can be found on the western doorway of this temple; it appears to be an upside down winged creature, depicting a god diving from the sky. The age old structure was heavily designed with drawings of seashells, sun, snakes and rain.

Mayan Temples In Kabah

The Palace of the Masks or Codz Poop is the most well-known ancient Mayan structure in Kabah. This building is large and covered with masks of the Rain God, Chac.




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