Archaeology by Prau123 – Page 241 – Main Forum

Prau123 · 2020-04-23T00:56:31Z

Here's an update on some of the new discoveries in recent years in the Mesoamerican region. Tonina - Considered the new tallest structure in Mesoamerica. It's debatable since El Mirador is actually 172 meters tall. The largest structure is still Cholula. There are still several areas in the El Mirador Basin that needs to be excavated and measured. There are 61,000 plus sites that were scanned a few years ago and that was only a mere portion of the El Mirador Basin. 15 facts about the Maya Civilization 1. THEIR PYRAMIDS AND CITIES ARE STILL BEING DISCOVERED.It’s amazing to think that something as large as a pyramid could elude archaeologists today. But it was only a few years ago that a Maya pyramid more than 1000 years old was discovered at Toniná in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It had been hidden under what was believed to be a natural hill. In 2015, researchers said this newfound monument was actually Mexico’s tallest pyramid at 246 feet (75 meters) in height, surpassing the 213-foot Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan. The ruins of two Maya cities concealed by thick vegetation were also recently discovered in Mexico’s state of Campeche. Tonina Picture They also found El Palmar and Angamuco a few years ago also. El Palmar - El Palmar is 40 to 70 times larger than previously acknowledged. It’s 40 times larger than we thought it was,” Garrison says. “This is now this huge city that would have been a rival to Tikal An early city called El Palmar seemed now to be 70 times larger than we had suspected, with raised fields for agriculture. An “isolated” royal palace had an extensive swath of settlement extending a kilometer or more. Angamuco - Angamuco had as many buildings as Manhattan city. A new laser-mapping technology, called lidar, has been used to confirm a truly mind-blowing ancient city buried in western Mexico. Called Angamuco, researchers say that it has about 40,000 buildings. This is around the same amount of building foundations as there are in Manhattan, New York. Whoa! El Mirador - Articles: Videos:

The back of Temple I at Comalcalco, as approached from the entrance to the site. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Several details make Comalcalco a real oddball in the context of Maya cities.

For one, the ancient site in Mexico’s Tabasco state was likely the westernmost major Maya settlement. The name Comalcalco is not Mayan but Nahuatl and means house of the comales — a smooth, flat griddle typically used in Mexico. However, the site’s original name was Joy Chan, meaning “round sky.”

But what makes Comalcalco stand apart is the materials from which the city was constructed. Unlike virtually every other Maya city or settlement, Comalcalco was built using bricks rather than limestone masonry. The city is near the coast in an area full of swamps and mangroves, where workable stone is in short supply and difficult to quarry. The bricks are irregular in size and were made by cutting large sections of clay instead of using molds. Visitors notice that many contemporary structures in the surrounding area still use this technique.

Brickwork is visible on the stucco-peeled facade of the structure at Comalcalco. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

The city’s foundation date is not known, but it is believed that Comalcalco reached its greatest splendor sometime in the 5th century CE and was completed along with other major cities such as Palenque and Yaxchilán.

A partially reconstructed temple in Comalcalco, Tabasco. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

The clay bricks used in constructing the city’s many structures give Comalcalco a unique look. However, an architectural style similar to Palenque’s was apparently superimposed onto its temples. These modifications were likely made during a time of a close alliance or perhaps occupation by Palenque. Evidence suggests that following the conquest of Palenque by Tonina, the city’s elite fled to Comalcalco to continue their rule in exile. Later in its history, Comalcalco came to be dominated by Nahua groups migrating from central Mexico — as evidenced by the Nahuatl name the city is known by today.

Temples at Comalcalco were completely covered in stucco, making their brick construction invisible to the naked eye. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

The first structure to be seen when entering the site is the large pyramid known simply as Temple I. This structure has a central stairway that rises 20 meters and passes through 10 tiers in the Talud-tablero style of Teotihuacan influence. Like many other notable structures at the site, most of the stucco on this temple has been lost. The good news is that this allows us to appreciate its unique brick construction.

Frontal view of Temple I at Comalcalco. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

At the top of the temple, we can observe several large pillars and walls that once supported a large sanctuary chamber.

The remains of arches and large containment walls at Comalcalco. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Other notable constructions include Temples VI and VII, which sit on a 35-meter-tall artificial platform known as the Great Acropolis.

The Acropolis and its structures are well known for their elaborate altars and stucco work.

The Great Acropolis is also notable for its extensive funerary vaults and the discovery of the largest burial ground found in the region to date. Archaeologists discovered three chambers that contained the skeletal remains of 116 high-ranking individuals, most of whom exhibited cosmetic features associated with Mayan elites, such as cranial deformation and teeth filling and incrustations. The burials are thought to date to either the late classic period (8th century CE) and also included 50 ceramic funerary urns.

Ceramic funerary vessels are on display at Comalcalco’s on-site museum. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Adjacent to the archaeological site is a great museum that houses artifacts from the site. The quality and state of preservation of these artifacts are stunning. Visitors can examine sculptures of marine animals and birds, funerary urns, and masks. Additional sculptures depict the city’s elite.

A sculpture depicts a member of Comalcalco’s elite. Notice the protruding teeth, sloped forehead and piercings. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magaaine

The archaeological site is located well inside the modern city of the same name and is walkable from the local bus station terminal. However, taking an organized tour is likely a better option. Hotels in nearby Villahermosa will likely have information on tour companies organizing day trips. Since the site does not receive many visitors — especially international ones — you may have to hire a private driver. Renting a car is not advisable.

If you go

As with all archaeological sites in Mexico, bringing food or drink other than water is prohibited. The entrance fee is 65 pesos Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, admittance is free for Mexican nationals and foreign residents with official ID.