Notable Features Ek' Balam

1 notable features

1.1 defensive walls
1.2 structures inside walls
1.3 wall paintings

notable features

head of serpent mayan hieroglyphs, ek balam, 2010


defensive walls

the layout of site surrounded 2 concentric walls served defense against attack. there many smaller walls snaked through city well. inner wall encompasses area of 9.55 hectares (23.6 acres). carved stone of inner wall, 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall , 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide, covered in plaster; outer wall serves purely defense, less substantial , less decorative. these walls largest in late classic yucatan, , seem have symbolic meaning of protection , military strength. theories claiming hasty desertion of city backed fourth wall inside city, “bisects great plaza, and, @ less meter wide , made of poorly constructed rubble, built last ditch effort @ protection” against invading attackers.

structures inside walls

only center of ek’ balam has been excavated. large, raised platforms line interior wall, surrounding internal plazas. sacbé roads stem off of center in 4 cardinal directions, architectural allusion idea of “four-part cosmos”. these roads understood have been sacred. buildings designed in northern petén architectural style, surrounding large cities of time, although has dissimilarities them well.

the acropolis houses tomb of king ukit kan le k tok , ruled 770 (the starting year of “height” of city) 797 or 802 ce.

wall paintings

in rooms of acropolis, wall paintings consisting of texts have been found, amongst these mural of 96 glyphs , masterwork of calligraphy comparable tablet of 96 glyphs palenque. wall painting of acropolis features mythological scene hunted deer, has been interpreted origin of death. series of vault capstones depict lightning deity, specific decoration known other yucatec sites.