Las Ruinas de Edzna (The Ruins of Edzna)

February 7, 2009

Ceremonial and governmental buildings in the Mayan world (much like Euro-centric cities) are stone. Mayan homes on the other hand were built (as they are today) of wood with palm thatch. The ruins of Edzna are an example of this. Archaeological studies have demonstrated that outside the 63 acre complex suburbs and farmland were present for 25,000 acres around. The metroplex at its peak was home to an extimated 20,000 citizens.

At Edzna one walks from the reception area up a jungle path toward the archeological site past a mound (illustrated) that soon grows in significance. This is a Mayan wall au-natural in the jungle. Click the picture for a closer look. You'll find some stacked stones on the right.

Two amazing points become apparent: What luck it takes to discover – on foot – a Mayan ruin and; Just how many more sites are unknown to us?

As we ponder the possibilities we round a corner and see for the first time a quarter mile away, the superstructure of a ten story building! The top of the structure has long vertical windows for astronomical observations. This is the center for the learned ones. Priests announce time for planting, time for harvest and when to expect the rains.

People offer tributes to the gods to ask their benevolence. Other gods as well could be asked, and they also accepted offerings. Self-sacrifice, a ritual blood letting was apparently common. Personal discussions with Quetzl him(or her)self required a higher status. One needed the Rock-Star aclaim of a champion pelote player in order to talk directly with the Supreme in behalf of the city. The event happened immediately after a victory on the ball-court and an exalting team celebration and imbibing in hallucinogens. Then his team members Took the unconscious body of the victorious team Captain to the altar and sent him on his way.

This was apparently the order of Mayan life for as long as the weather held. Protracted dry periods ended such social structures. Surprisingly enough, The Maya never left their land. They just lost any need for their priests and governors (when they couldn't produce what the community needed). The farmers farmed on (in the driest of times) and didn't bother to pay tributes to priests, astronomers, and governors. The Maya live on today . The bigwigs just vanished (or maybe started a farm!).