Ruta Puuc - Kabah

The region south of the two ranges of low hills that come together just northwest of Uxmal is called the Puuc (Maya hilly country). During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, this section of Yucatan supported the densest population in the entire northern half of the Peninsula, a population which was gathered around many ceremonial centers, the most important of which was Uxmal. Several important and interesting ruins sites are along what is now called the Ruta Puuc. I visited Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, and also the caves at Loltun.

Kabah was the second largest ceremonial center of the Puuc, located only nine miles southeast of Uxmal and connected by a stone causeway, or sacbe.

Recent investigations indicate the zone was inhabited in 250 B.C. and reached its splendor in the 8th and 9th centuries of our era.

Highway 261 bisects the site. On one side is the famous Kodz Pop, known for its hundreds of Chaac masks; and a large but less ornate palace. The other side has many lesser buildings and also the arch and sacbe leading to Uxmal. Most of the buildings at the site are unnamed.

Links:

Interesting web site with maps and photos

Click on the map to see details

Kodz Pop

The Palace of the Masks (Kodz Pop - meaning "rolled mat"), is 151 feet long and contains ten chambers arranged in two tiers of five each; the chambers of each pair are built directly behind the other, with a single outside doorway for each pair. The rain god Chaac was obsessively used on the Kodz Pop.

The Palace of the Masks stands on a low platform, the face of which is decorated with seven rows of mask panels and ornate moldings. The effect of this lavishly sculptured façade is overwhelming.

Chaac glyph


Panorama of the Kodz Pop (also called Codz Poop)

Looking up at the Codz Pop	Click the photo to see the details

Sitting in a Chaac mask, which is actually an entrance	Looking up at the Codz Pop

Mask details	Mask details

The rear of the Codz Pop, showing a statue of a Mayan king	The Mayan king statue

Mayan king statue	Carvings on doorway Puuc architecture differs from typical Mayan architecture in that it doesn't have the graphic scenes of violence - instead having flowers, turtles, snakes, and Chaac. These doorways are unique in Puuc architecture because they have the more typical Mayan war and sacrifice scenes.
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Carvings on doorway	Carvings on doorway

Kodz pop, showing a portion of the roof comb, which served to increase the apparent height of the building

Palace

Officially identified as Structure 2C2, not much is written about what this "palace" was actually used for.


The Palace - much less ornate than the Kodz Pop