Ek Balam Mayan Ruins

Address:Yucatan

Fascinatingly well-preserved sculptures are exposed at Ek Balam, which excited the newcomers and the repeat visitors as well, of the Mayan areas. Ek Balam is a one of its own kind of place. It is unlike any other Mayan site, dating from 100 B.C. to 700-1200 B.C.

The size and architecture of the main temple here is magnificent. It is one of the largest structures revealed in Yucutan, because of its huge size of over 500 feet length and 200 feet width. Its massiveness makes anyone wonder that how could it have been built without using iron or wheel. The intricate artistry and symbolism incorporated in decorating these sculptures to decorate the temple is indeed an artistic excellence.

The most distinctive temple of Ek Balam, one with a huge ‘monster mouth’, is a representation of a portal to the ‘other world’ for Mayans. The huge mouth of the Witz Monster (entry to the underworld), with complete sets of teeth, is stupendous.

There are evidences that bloodletting rituals were practices at Ek Balam, which were all self-inflicted by the priests and nobles of the place. Some people say that one of the human figures portrayed above the mouth is in the posture of a defeated enemy who was about to be sacrificed. But they aren’t sure that to what extent does the depiction predicts human sacrifice in the area.

The sculpture works of the Maya ruins at Ek Balam are different and well preserved. All the figures are beautiful and nicely crafted and designed. The unusual figure designs include winged, meditative lotus position, a headless figure above the center of the monster mouth.

Ek Balam has a very beautiful arch that links to a sacbe (ancient road) which were used in ancient times to connect the Maya kingdoms. An arch is present where all these sacbes intersect at the entrance to the city. Many sacbes of Ek Balam connect to other Maya cities such as its neighbor city, Chichen Itzá.