Acanceh . Archaeological zone, corresponding to the Mayan culture . It is located in Mérida , Mexico .
Summary
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- 1 Location
- 2 Origin of the name
- 3 History
- 4 Description
- 5 Importance
- 6 Related Links
- 7 Sources
Location
The archaeological zone is located in the center of the current population and has an approximate area of 3 square kilometers, it is located in the southeast 33 km from Merida.
Name’s origin
Deer moan.
History
The first evidence of pre-Hispanic occupation dates from the late Preclassic period ( 300 BC -300 AD), to the late Postclassic ( 1300 – 1450 AD); however, the apogee occurs during the Early Classic ( 300-600 AD) when it had 300 structures of different types. Despite the fact that the Acanceh has resisted the aggression of the current urban growth, two architectural complexes known as the Pyramid and the Palace of the Stucco still remain. These two buildings suggest the existence of relationships between Acanceh with places like Uaxactún , Guatemala and Teotihuacan .
Description
In the main square you can visit the two Mayan buildings already restored:
The main Pyramid of Acanceh is 11 meters high and is made up of three stepped bodies that stand on a 32-meter platform per side. One of the layers that make it up has been exposed, and it was found that it was decorated by eight masks modeled in stucco that flanked the sides of the main stairs.
The so-called Palacio de los Estucos, stands out for its frieze on the facade, whose stucco figures represent supernatural entities or deities, perhaps supporting the lineage of the ruler. This frieze is framed by horizontal moldings and colossal masks that symbolize the scene that occurs in the sky. On the other hand, the individual carcos indicate that the characters are located between the earthly and heavenly planes.
There are other structures recently discovered and in the process of being excavated, which are closed to the public.
There are architectural monuments such as: the former Convent and Temple of the Virgin of Guadalupe , built at the end of the 16th century . Temple of Our Lady of the Nativity, built in the 16th century . It also has archaeological monuments such as: Canicab , Poxilá and Ekmul .
Importance
What is relevant about the site is the presence of ceramic materials characteristic of the greater Mexico City as well as some features of the Palacio de los Estucos, which have come to suggest that Acanceh was a kind of Teotihuacan enclave in the north of Yucatán .
Acanceh is one of the few examples that exist of the Guadalupano cult in the peninsula, so widespread instead in the rest of the Mexican territory. In the center of the park, located to the west of the Plaza, you can see the statue of the Deer , honoring the autochthonous name of this town.