Ek Balam

We set out with new friends, Annette and Tony, who are 20 year residents of Mexico and head across the Yucatan Peninsula from Tulum into the state of Yucatan.  The roads were in great shape and we were able to experience passing through so many little villages to our first stop in Valladolid, which was the first capital of the Yucatan State.  Today the capital is Merida.  Valladolid is a beautiful city just like most large older cities in Mexico which is built out from the city center square with a large catholic church and government offices surrounding the square.  We stopped for breakfast at a little hotel in the city square know as El Meson del Marques.  We ate in a courtyard just off the street.  Excellent!  We enjoyed authentic Mexican breakfast.  Yes, I wish I knew what we ordered, and I wish the hotel had a menu online so I could look up the dishes again, but they do not so I can only tell you that is was fabulous and I would recommend not just the restaurant, but the quant little hotel.  I would love to go back and spend a night or two and explore this old Mexican City.

After breakfast it was time to work off all that great food, so we head to the Ek Balam archeological ruins.  This remote archeological site is about 27 km from Valladolid and 127 km from Playa de Carmen which is only 15 mins from Puerto Aventuras where we are located.  As you drive into this remote area you are first greeted by local vendors and their beautiful Mayan wares.  The only modern portion you will see is the building you purchase tickets in which houses some history on the area.  A short walk through the jungle and the ruins quickly open up and stand before you.  Ek which means Black or Bright Star and Balam which means Jaguar comes together to mean Jaguar Star or Black Jaguar (depends on the website).  Many stories from the mayan history surround how Ek Balam got its name but none have been proven through the archeological discoveries.  I found more information about Ek Balam on the Chichen Itza website.
What archeologists have discovered about Ek Balam begins sometime around the year 300 BC, until the arrival of the Spaniards. It was the capital of the Tah empire, and this settlement covered about 12 square km, which included a sacred central space that I will refer to as the temple.  This sacred area is little more than 1 square km where the elite were believed to have made their homes.  Ek Balam is a Mayan City that really developed during the Late / Terminal Classic Period (600-850 / 900 AD) and the seat of the kingdom of "Tlalol". The first known king of Ek´Balam is Ukit Kan Le´t Tok (the father of the four flint fronts) who was the builder of the palace or temple known as Acropolis.  This settlement influenced both technical and cultural advances during their time, as well as architectural and decorative designs, the best example of which is the section located inside the Acropolis and known as Sak Xok Nahh (white house of reading), which served as a tomb for Ukit Kan Le´t Tok, who was buried with a rich offering made up of more than 7,000 pieces such as ceramic vessels, shell objects, snail and tumbaga (South American gold which has portions of copper and silver).

The White House of Reading

Before arriving at the Acropolis you walk through the area where Pok-Ta-Pok was played.  The information about this game came from the website Culture Trip .  The best warriors were chosen to participate on one of the teams. In the game, they wore headdresses and paint, leather skirts made from sacred animals or loincloths, and protectors on the hips to cushion the impact of the rubber ball made from rubber trees.  The hip protectors also helped to increase the speed of the rebound.

Before the game, they prayed to Hunahpú, a Mayan god, sacrifices were made after losing a game usually human sacrifices of the losers. The players had to kick the ball with their hips, elbows, knees, and forearms and not let it drop, as that indicated a ‘bad sign,' and once the ball passed through the rings on the walls, the game was over.

The reasons for the ritual vary. On one hand, they used to do it to maintain the order of the cosmos and the fertility of the lands (triumph of life) in times of shortage (evils of man). On the other hand, it was considered a substitute for war. It also served to get a response from the gods: one team represented a “yes” and the other a “no," the answer depended on who won the game. When the Spanish colonized Mexico, the game was still going on, but without a religious meaning: instead of human sacrifice, the winner got slaves along with gold, jade, etc.
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The game wasn’t believed to be distinctive of a particular native group.  Recently, a court was found in Mexico City, in an Aztec temple, underneath a 1950s hotel. The game is still practiced in Central and North America, but just as a cultural activity and “pok-ta-pok is what football [soccer] is today.” Nowadays, there’s a modern version called Ulama, practiced in Sinaloa, a Mexican State.

Finally, as you pass through the area where Pok-Ta-Pok was played you begin to see the rise of the ancient temple ruins of Ek Balam know as the Acropolis.  This temple housed homes, ritual areas, etc.   The picture above of the reading room shows some of the intricate work found all around this temple.

The climb up seemed easy for a few steps and then the skinny steps got steeper and steeper and yes I was scared, but determined to see it to the top and back.  Thankfully, I survived.  It is scarier than I expected and surprised their have not been accidents.  Maybe accidents have occurred and I just can’t find any information about any.  The view from the top was spectacular and I have no idea how far you can really see from the top of the Acropolis.  Miles and Miles - almost a 360 view from the top.  Check out some of the pictures below for the view from the top of Ek Balam.  Another room we found had an opening where you could feel cold air coming into the room.  Although, the opening went down into the dark where there was no light, It was certainly a very cool space probably down to some sort of cenote.  However, the Mayans believed cenotes could be entrances to the underworld, so not sure they would have ventured down there on purpose.  From the Culture Trip website:  The Mayans believed cenotes to be a gateway to Xibalba, the underworld, and the god of rain, Chaac.  These gods were believed to live at the bottom of these sacred wells. The Mayans performed rituals and ceremonies at sacred cenotes to ask for rain and good crops.

Speaking of cenotes, After climbing the temple ruins and exploring the grounds around the ruins, we were hot and tired and ready for a cool swim in the cenote also located on the Ek Balam grounds.

The Cenote Xcan ché is located in the middle of the jungle with easy access from the archaeological site.  It has a depth of 40 meters.  We had a blast!  Check out the videos!

The water is so cool and refreshing and I could see a day spent here picnicking, swimming, and relaxing by the cenote.  It was hard to leave, but the day must come to an end and we have that two plus hour drive back to Puerto Aventuras.  We so appreciate that Annette and Tony took the time to share some of Mexico with us that we might not have found to explore.  We can’t wait until our next Mexican Adventure!