Entering the East Group of the archaeological zone of Kabah

After decades of continuous research and studies, we now know that the Maya developed one of the most sophisticated civilizations in the ancient world. They were not only among the most prolific builders in antiquity, leaving us with awe-inspiring monuments, but they were also masters of astronomy and mathematics, among other things. Their complex calendar system, which incorporated different counts, was able to accurately predict eclipses and other alignments of celestial bodies. They also devised the Maya hieroglyphs, considered the only true writing system developed in the pre-Columbian Americas.

However, since reading Maya glyphs is not necessarily a walk in the park, what we modern humans can readily appreciate more are the magnificent buildings the ancient Maya constructed many centuries ago. And that was exactly the main reason for me and James to visit the Yucatán Peninsula in modern-day Mexico, a region that is home to among the highest concentrations of such structures, including the world-renowned Chichen Itza. Toward the last centuries of what historians defined as the Classic Period (roughly between 250–900 CE), a unique architectural style called Puuc emerged in a part of the Yucatán that is dominated by vast karst hills. (In Yucatec Maya, a Mayan language spoken in the peninsula, puuc means “hill”.)

Among the distinctive features of this style is the incorporation of “concrete” to build the skeleton of a structure as opposed to piling large stones on top of one another using lime and mud mortar as a binding agent. The former method allowed for a relatively more stable interior compared to other Maya ruins that were constructed using older techniques. To decorate the façades, cut veneer stones were added along the upper section, usually leaving the lower part rather plain. As a result, this created a visually-striking horizontal appearance that is typical of ancient Maya structures from this region.

The Maya ruins of Uxmal have the biggest and among the finest structures built in the Puuc architectural style. But this compound wasn’t inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list alone as it was joined by three other equally impressive sites, each with its own unique character. Located along the aptly named Ruta Puuc (“Puuc Route”), they were where James and I headed after our visit to Uxmal and a lunch stop at the small but interesting town of Santa Elena (also known as Nohcacab in Yucatec Maya). Our Cuba-born driver Abdiel admitted that while he had taken multiple guests to Uxmal, this was his first foray into the three archaeological sites that we were going to check out for the rest of the afternoon. This reminded me of a similar situation with our driver in Quy Nhon, Vietnam three years ago who took us to ancient Cham temples he didn’t know existed – we do realize though that sometimes the places we want to see are not necessarily where most tourists go.

First, we stopped by Kabah, the second-largest ancient Maya site in the Puuc region after Uxmal. As Abdiel’s dark red sedan pulled over, from outside the fence of the East Group of the archaeological compound the structures appeared like a number of horizontal edifices, each sitting on top of a raised platform. Feeling intrigued, we started our exploration from the one closest to us. At ground level, what was standing before our eyes seemed to be piles of loose rocks with the main structure positioned on the highest point of the man-made construction. But as we went up the stairs, a sight like no other welcomed us.

A structure covered with dozens of the masks of Chaac – the Maya god of rain, thunder, and lightning – presented itself as if it was a sentinel that had been keeping an eye – well, many eyes – on the world around it. It is known as the Codz Pop (also spelled Codz Poop), which in Yucatec Maya means “rolled mat/blanket”, a moniker given to the building thanks to parts of its decorative elements that are said to resemble the quotidian item. But to be honest, it was the ubiquity of Chaac faces all over the façade that we found utterly impressive. “Now that is something else!” James exclaimed. Although it wasn’t the first time we stumbled upon a visual interpretation of this particular Maya deity, easily distinguishable from his long and curved nose, I wouldn’t dispute it if someone claims the Codz Pop as the most Chaac-forward ancient Maya monument that has ever been erected.

We continued exploring other parts of the intriguing structure before moving on to the central plaza of Kabah, surrounded by three different edifices in varying degrees of preservation. Archaeologists have found evidence that the ruling dynasty of this Maya city abandoned it around the year 950 CE after making it their seat of power for centuries. But it took James and I a surprisingly short time – roughly half an hour – to wander this fascinating archaeological site, not because we ran out of things to see (I realized much later than we actually missed seeing two interesting anthropomorphic figures sculpted on the other side of the Codz Pop), but because we still had two other places to visit before sunset.

“Muy bien?” Abdiel asked us as we got into the car. With a resounding sí, off we went to the next ancient wonder along the Ruta Puuc: Sayil.

A structure known as The Palace (El Palacio) at the far end of the compound

At this point, my anticipation began to build up upon seeing glimpses of the Codz Pop

Standing before the Codz Pop, an ancient Maya structure like no other

Fragments of the hieroglyphic altar in front of the Codz Pop

Pieces of art from the past

Row upon row of Chaac masks

Archaeologists estimate that the structure was once embellished with 358 Chaac masks

Faces of the Maya god of rain, thunder, and lightning

The ones that have lost their long curved noses

Under the watchful eyes of Chaac

Layers of history, quite literally

The magnificent Codz Pop

One corner of the compound that was in a partially ruined state

The Palace was probably the most important structure in the East Group of the archaeological zone of Kabah

The Teocalli, a two-story structure directly behind the Codz Pop that used to have 37 vaulted chambers

One last look at The Palace before we continued to Sayil