MexicGo Archaeological site in Campeche, Mexico by Location: Edzna

Some 50km east of Campeche lie the impressive ruins of Edzná, one of the few sites in the area accessible by bus. Though this is where the so-called Chenes style of architecture (chen means “well” and is a fairly common suffix to place names hereabouts) dominated, Edzná is far from a pure example of it, also featuring elements of Río Bec, Classic Maya and Puuc design. At the height of its power, between 250 BC and 150 AD, it was a large city, on the main route between the Maya communities of the highlands and the coast.

The ruins show evidence of a complex drainage and irrigation system that probably supported a large agricultural project and more than a thousand people. The most important structure here is the great Templo de los Cinco Pisos (Temple of the Five Storeys), a stepped palace-pyramid more than thirty metres high. Unusually, each of the five storeys contains chambered “palace” rooms: while both solid temple pyramids and multistorey “apartment” complexes are relatively common, it is rare to see the two combined in one building.

At the front, a steep monumental staircase leads to a three-room temple, topped by a roofcomb. It’s a hot climb, but the view takes in the dense greenery and the hills that mark this side of the peninsula. As you look out over two plazas, the further of which must have been capable of holding tens of thousands of people, it is easy to imagine the power that the high priest or king commanded. Beyond lie the unexcavated remains of other large pyramids, and behind them, the vast flat expanse of the Yucatán plain. Inside the west-facing temple, a stele of the god of maize was illuminated by the sun twice a year, on the dates for the planting and harvesting of the crop.

Itzá is the name of a lineage of Chontal origin established on the site. By extension, residents of other settlements related to the inhabitants of this ancient Mayan city as "Itzáes"; here comes his name Ytzná / Edzná. "House of the Itza" Cultural Importance The pre-Columbian settlement had an average area of 25 square kilometers. The first evidence of human presence dating from the year 600. C. A small community grew, developed and formed shortly before the beginning of our era, a centralized government.

An efficient system of collection, storage and disposal storm was built; production is concentrated, large buildings were erected and dominated the surrounding villages. Edzna was a powerful regional capital of western peninsular between the years 400 and 1000 d. C. The following four centuries lost political and economic force until it was abandoned around 1450 d. C. As elsewhere in the Maya world, the first buildings of Edzná were coated with large blocks of limestone, cut regularly, covered with thick stucco finish and painted bright red. Many facades were decorated with faces of gods, with mythical animals and symbols; the reasons were modeled stucco (similar to plaster) and were painted in various colors. All these elements are considered characteristic of the Petén architecture. Site development then led to create buildings with other architectural styles as Chenes, and Late Puuc. So in Edzná we find a long sequence of buildings along just over 15 centuries.

Lesser buildings surround the ceremonial precinct. The Nohochná (Casa Grande, or Big House), a palace on the northwest side, is some 55m long and contains a room used as a temazcal (traditional sauna), with stone benches and hearths over which water could be boiled. Over in the Pequeña Acrópolis, the Templo de los Mascarones contains two eerie masks representing the sun god, rising on the east (left-hand) side and setting on the west.

It is located 55 km southeast of the city of Campeche. It can be reached by Federal Highways 180 and 261; from Champotón via Haltunchén and Hool, and continue eastward; or from Campeche through China, Pocyaxum, Nohacal and Tixmucuy. If traveling from the south of Yucatan, it will turn off at the village of Cayal. Visitors can reach the site by public transport from Campeche, however, it must walk about 300 meters to the site entrance.

Buses leave from Campeche in front of the Sur terminal on República south of the market in the mornings; the last ride back to Campeche is at 3.45pm, but check with the driver on the way there. A sound-and-light show on Friday and Saturday (8pm) involves walking among the illuminated buildings. Alternatively, you could join an organized trip from Campeche.

Edzna, Mexico