After exploring the massive archaeological site of Calakmul, we drove for about an hour and a half through the jungle to reach Balamkú.
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Beautiful Drive Balamkú Archaeological Site
The journey was spectacular. The road we drove in was bright sunny with the canopy closing above making an incredible green passage in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve . Once arrived, we have been greeted by a lovely wooden roof building painted in terracotta color and functioning as a peaceful gatekeeper to ruins. Because less tourists visited Balamkú compared to the famous ruin Calakmul, we were able to enjoy a lovely solitary walk within the surrounding forests and then enter to observe Balamkú’s ancient and beautifully preserved stucco friezes. Stucco frieze means a decorative, horizontal band sculptured in the relief from cement mixture.
There is this mysterious place, Balamku, located in the tropical jungles of Campeche, Mexico. Balamku means “Temple of Jaguars” or rather the “Place of Jaguars”. As we can understand from the name, Mayans had a special spiritual relation to jaguars – one of the most respected animals at those times. Occupation history dates back to 300 BC till now. The complex became administrative and ceremonial center during centuries development. Later on it was abandoned. The complex consists of several zones named as: South Group, Central Group and North Group. Let me tell more about each part: The first thing you may find visiting South Group are the four ceremonial and civic plazas namely Plazas A-D. There is also the number of buildings – 13. Some interesting features include Structure D5-5 that is 15 meters high pyramid with unique Petén style architecture and Structure D5-10, the building with masonry columns, stone bench and probably was used as the house of elite ruler. The second group is called Central Group, where you may visit the building I with the discovery of 16.8 meters high polychrome stucco frieze called as “Frieze of the kings”. There is also a ball court in front of this structure surrounded with some temples for different astronomical purposes.
Last but not least part, North Group is mainly left without investigation yet. Here we have six ceremonial and civic plazas with some mounds and platform structures around them. Inside plazas we may discover stone platforms, stairs leading to some kind of buildings used by elite and priests as residences. What makes this location world-famous? Unique frieze located in the central plaza – “Frieze of the kings” depicting rulers emerging from the jaws of sacred jaguar-monsters!
| Visitor Type | Entrance Fee (Mexcian Pesos) |
|---|---|
| Native | 80 MXN |
| Foreigner | 145 MXN |
The South Group of Balamkú
Buried somewhere in the middle of the jungle clearing there are remains of Mayan structures. Old foundation walls and low stone platforms are left standing in silence. Moss-covered masonry is situated under the huge canopy of trees. Light rays are passing through branches and leaves, reaching the floor covered with dry leaves. Those ruins show us how people used to live there.
The Central Group of Balamkú
More to the North, in central area of Balamkú, monumental stone steps vividly showcase the relentless power of nature, with mature trees growing directly over the stone tiers, which must have grown on top of it over last milenia.
One key element which I would like to tell you about is a representation of open mouth and face of Earth Monster or Cosmic monster. Usually Maya rulers are shown emerging from the mouth of this monster. The accession of the ruler parallels rising up of the sun from under the earth. That is why I call it a symbolic representation.
As you might guess, according to Maya Cosmology the idea of earth was often associated with living cosmic monster. That is why, a baseline of any Maya temple is symbolized by an image of earth’s surface.
If Maya ruler image was placed right above the mouth at the ground level it means that he rises from underground, comes to life from the earth monster interior. Again parallel to daily rebirth of the Sun rising above the ground every morning from the underground world.
Maya Steam Bath Ruins
This is a very well preserved site in Mexico named Balamku. What makes this site unique is that you have a chance to witness everyday life in terms of wellness practices used by the ancient civilizations living here. It is called a Sweat Bath or Temazcal which means steam bath of the Mayan people situated just outside the entrance door of Frieze Chamber. Here steam has been produced by putting hot rocks under water, thus allowing people, especially elite people, to clean themselves spiritually and physically.
Frieze Chamber (Del Estuco)
Frieze Chamber, located in Structure I, Central Group of Balamku archaeological site, contains one of the most unique painted stucco friezes found anywhere in Maya World! Measuring almost seventeen meters long and dated to the Early Classic period 550-650 AD, this amazing discovery happened due to archaeologist reports of looting in Balamku area. Frieze Chamber has its own roofed construction where it was discovered, thus allowing preservation until today. Depicting the whole cosmological story, the frieze represents four different rulers of Maya civilization and is called Four Kings’ Frieze, showing both earthly authority and entrance into netherworld journey.
Iconography showed us very interesting dualism construction in which four rulers are coming out of the mouth of the beast – both Earth and heavenly beasts symbolizing solar rebirth every day. There are also other elements around these central figures including lily flowers, frogs, and some plants associated with water that represent fertile layer of the earth compared to jaguars representing subterranean powers of war and sacrifices. The entire scene reminds one entering the underground world, just as in ancient times people felt themselves doing.
As you can see below, the King from Maya culture is sitting on top of the Earth Monster jaws, with the beads skirt with diamonds pattern or just with a short skirt, wearing bead bracelets, pectoral mask and a mask under chin. Iconographical elements show accession ceremony.
On the photo below you can see detailed image of stucco frieze with King 3 seated on the cushion decorated with the jaguar skin. Circular ears of the King are decorated with the profiled snake heads. Facial area of the King is surrounded by two braids.
Heath decorations of the King include mysterious mask of unknown animal with the figure having the arms lifted and holding something in his hands. In addition, the figure has sharks’ tooth instead of incisors. Eyes are painted black cross-eyed. There is plenty of references to the water element directly beneath the throne.
This amazing segment on the wall of Balamku showed below depicts sitting jaguar that also has hybrid features like others depicted on this painting. The jaguar has cat feet and cat tail, but unlike others it has a reptile head. Moreover this mysterious creature belongs to the set of symbols depicting powers below the earth and waters underneath the ancient Maya temple structure.
Below is a jaguar depicted in ideal condition of captivity: sitting on its chair with tied paws and legs. What is interesting that this depiction relates to the topic of ritual submission or sacrifice and it played an important role in Classic Maya politics religion. Pictures of the captured cats helped stress the supremacy of the elite power over the powers of earth and underworld.
Fascinating Findings On Our Way Out
Our guide pointed many objects, which lied on the floor before departing Balamkú site. Among those objects there was one tiny piece of obsidian glass. This glass formed when silicate lava flows cool rapidly without any crystallization process. Since ancient Mayan Civilization didn’t develop any techniques to smelt iron ore for making metal instruments and weapons, obsidian became main substance used to create ultra sharp-edged instruments and weapons. Conchoidal fracture of obsidian stone helped ancient Mayan artists to produce prismatic blade weapons, arrows, spears and many other instruments whose sharpness exceeded sharpness of today’s medical surgical steel. Most importantly, obsidian was deliberately made fragile in order to break during attacks against opponents. In particular, this happened when macuahuitl wooden stick weapon with obsidian prisms hit an opponent.
Besides, this obsidian became very valuable spiritually and economically within all Pre-Hispanic cultures throughout whole Ancient Mexico region! There is a great history behind this stone as it was used by priests in rituals when cutting themselves and letting blood flow out. Obsidian mirrors were made by polishing the stones which priests used to communicate with spirits and see the future predictions. Lowland area of Calakmul and Balamkú didn’t have volcano source in its territory, which shows that obsidian had been traded over huge distances. It is interesting to learn such information about past civilizations.
Montezuma Oropendola is known for construction one of the amazing constructions in bird kingdom. Those constructions consist of beautifully woven pouches of bananas fibers, vines and long grasses that may reach lengths between 60 cm and 1.8 meter. Females weave those hanging pouches alone and hang on the tips of thinnest possible branches. The purpose is to protect chicks and eggs from predation from large creatures such as monkeys and snakes. Those birds are colonial creature and can transform single isolated high canopy tree into city of dozens or hundred of nests hanging around the trees! What I really find interesting that besides preference to hang the nest on flexible tree branch rather than hard surface on ground to avoid raids, the birds choose those nesting trees that have wasp colonies living nearby. Birds use those insects’ aggression as natural protection against any intruder of bird’s territory! Males fly above those construction sites and make fantastic display including hanging upside down with making characteristic sounds gurgle. Meanwhile females continue construction of those nests for about ten days.
Hanging nests are perfectly fitted for survival in severe conditions of nature! These nests are shaped in a form that gives them possibility to work as pendulums. They simply don’t oppose any wind force, but swing with tree movements, thus minimizing any stresses and keeping eggs or baby birds safe inside them.
Moreover, plants fibres used in making the nests are really strong, which gives a great deal of tensile strength. This means that nesting spot on the tree will stay there even in case of heavy tropical rain.
Earthquakes are posing no real threat to the nest. Firstly, the nests are situated high up in trees and are hanging freely. Vibrations coming from the earth via the tree trunk would be buffered due to flexibility of the branches. Secondly, such nests may break only in case of the strongest earthquake or hurricane that might actually break the whole tree apart!
Houses By The Road On Our Way Back To Campeche
And now was a long road from Balamku archaeological zone to Campeche City. What an exciting drive! The whole way to Campeche city after visiting Balamku was really rough ride on the quiet road surrounded by thick forest vegetation. It was absolutely necessary to watch all roads closely and drive slowly as the surface condition was terrible, lots of potholes everywhere! There were absolutely holes in places where asphalt layer has worn out. It was not necessary to worry about speed bumps because there weren’t any on this way to Campeche! On this way to Campeche, we saw local houses hidden among trees.
Dinner By The Mexico Gulf before Coming Back to Campeche
Our guide stopped at restaurant named El Timón. Restaurant was located close to the Gulf of Mexico or rather nowadays American Gulf. We had lunch voucher in value of 200 MXN (~£8.50) each person included in excursion price. Our excursion costed £215 for each participant and this lunch voucher made up barely any percentage from total amount spent. However, the food was quite average but tasty nevertheless and filling as usually we had been traveling on the road since the morning.
The best thing which I should mention about this dinner was drinking refreshing ice cold beer on a beautiful view by sea cost line.
What an amazing place to watch sunset!!! We could see gorgeous, colorful sunset falling behind us from a front row table. The bird was sitting absolutely still on the wooden post right in front of us – like a picture! And, there were also local fishing boats placed right on the shore of the sea. So cool!!!
