Walking Tour of the Maya Town of Comalcalco
Comalcalco is a Classic Maya site in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. The ruins are located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Gulf Coast of Mexico, and about 60 km (40 mi) northwest from Villahermosa, capital of the state. The city, whose Maya name was Joy Chan (Surrounded Sky), was inhabited from the Preclassic to the Terminal Classic period, and reached its apogee between the 6th and 9th century AD.
Comalcalco is the westernmost of the Maya sites, and lays in the Chontalpa, a region famous in Precolumbian and Colonial times for growing cacao, as well as for its trade routes and wealthy merchants.
This Walking Tour of Comalcalco illustrates the principal buildings and features of this little-known but well-preserved archaeological site.
Comalcalco - History of the Research
The site of Comalcalco was first visited by American anthropologist Carl Berendt in 1869, but reported only in 1880 by the French explorer Desiré Charnay. At the beginning of the 20th century Frans Blom and Oliver La Farge described the site and provided a first map in their volume Tribes and Temples.
In the mid-20th century archaeological excavations at the site were carried out by Gordon Ekholm of the American Museum of Natural History, who first noticed the peculiarity of Comalcalco architecture, which uses fired bricks as construction elements or architectural veneers for buildings.
Since the 60's the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History has conducted excavations and restoration work at the site which is open to the public.
Architecture of Comalcalco
A total of 432 structures have been recorded at Comalcalco, over an extended area whose actual size is matter of debate. The urban center is divided into three major monumental groups: the North Plaza, the Great Acropolis Plaza, and the Great Acropolis. Many archaeologists have remarked on the similarity between the architecture of Comalcalco and Palenque: the temples have similar plans and orientation, and are decorated with a large number of niches.
In addition, some of the main buildings in both sites have vaulted roofs, sustained by pillars that form internal galleries. While this is a common trait for the palaces of Comalcalco and Palenque, other roofs were made of perishable material.
Comalcalco also had a drainage system made of underground fired-clay pipes. The abundant use of plaster and stucco decorations is another element that Comalcalco and Palenque have in common. The peculiarity of Comalcalco is that most if its architecture was made of fired bricks instead of limestone, as is common in the Maya lowlands. The reason is probably that stone was relatively unavailable in the alluvial plains of Tabasco.
Brick Masonry at Comalcalco
Archaeologists divide the architectural development of Comalcalco into two phases: an earlier phase, when the construction technique consisted of a core of rammed earth which was then covered by a thick layer of plaster; and a later phase, in which the builders either covered the earthen core with fired bricks, or they skipped the earthen core and constructed the buildings with hand-made clay brick masonry.
Most of these bricks were decorated with graffiti portraying real and fantastic animals, sketches of buildings, human and geometric figures, figures that were scratched in as glyphs or modeled in three dimensional high relief.
Fired Clay Brick Images at Comalcalco
The gallery of images on the bricks used in the late phase buildings at Comalcalco offers an unusual insight into the dressing styles, the use of perishable materials in construction, architectural styles, available fauna, as well as beliefs of an ancient Maya community. The bricks were laid in layers and mortared together by ground oyster shells, abundant in the surrounding lagoons.
The North Plaza at Comalcalco
The North Plaza is rectangular in plan, and surrounded by a complex of temples and platforms. The plaza's west side is closed by the largest temple of Comalcalco, called Temple I. It rises almost 25 meters (~80 feet) above the plaza.
The north side of the plaza is framed by an elongated platform on top of which once stood several temples. Only one of these has been restored, Temple II on the north-western corner.
The southern side is marked by another long platform, with Temple III on its western end. Temple II and III are smaller constructions compared to Temple I.
Temple I at Comalcalco
Temple I at Comalcalco is a pyramidal platform with ten levels reaching nearly 25 meters (~80 feet) in height, on top of which stands the main temple building. The temple faces west and is reachable through a central stairway, overlooking the plaza.
The stairways present both the construction techniques typical of Comalcalco: the lower section is made of bricks while the upper section was covered by stucco.
The temple superstructure was probably decorated with stucco murals which are now gone.
Stucco Decorations at Temple I at Comalcalco
The lower level of Temple I platform is decorated with a series of elegant stucco decorations. Although scant remains of decoration survived, it is possible to recognize a row of figures on the lower tier: a toad, three human figures seating on a band, and another, more complete figure, representing a captive held down by a standing figure, possibly his captor.
Funerary Offering at Comalcalco
Excavations in the North Plaza at Comalcalco also yielded a series of funerary urns (giant clay jars). Inside each of these jars was the body of an individual in a sitting position, accompanied by rich offerings. Grave goods from these jars included ceramic pots, clay figurines and jewelry, shell earrings, shark teeth, carved animal bones, and obsidian and flint knives.
Temple VI at Comalcalco
The Great Acropolis is located on the southern end of Comalcalco's center core, and it is the largest construction of the site. The acropolis comprises several buildings: a so-called "palace", probably an elite residential compound, three temples, and other residential compounds.
The acropolis was built to mark the east side of the Great Acropolis Plaza: on the north side stand two temples, Temple VI, and Temple VII, and on the west a series of lower structures.
Temple VII at Comalcalco
Temple VI at Comalcalco stands on top of a three-tier platform mound with a central stairway leading to the plaza. The balustrades flanking the steps are decorated with stucco motifs. The lower portion of the temple façade is decorated with a stucco mask representing Itzamnaaj, the Maya sun god.
The Palace at Comalcalco
Temple VII is the second temple on the northern side of the Great Acropolis Plaza, located at the west of Temple VI. Its plan is similar to Temple VI, and the structure is partly made of brick and partly in adobe covered with plaster. The lower tier of the platform is decorated with a series of stucco figures, portraying seated individuals, and a stylized serpent runs on the façade of the upper tier.
The upper temple is reachable from the plaza through a central stairway.
Comalcalco's Sunken Patio
The so-called Palace at Comalcalco is the largest part of the Great Acropolis. The building overlooks the east side of the plaza and stands nine meters (~30 feet) above its floor. As is typical of other examples in the Maya area, the palace is composed of a series of structures arranged around open spaces.
Some of the interior rooms at the palace have niches and low benches. Its façade presents a row of pillars, decorated with stucco figures, and the building is divided into two long galleries.
Both the two-gallery building plan and the abundant use of stucco decorations are elements that connect the style of Comalcalco to Palenque.
Temple IV at Comalcalco
On the southeast corner of the palace is a sunken court or patio. Its surface was once covered by a stucco floor, which is today only partially preserved. On its northeast corner stands a small construction, probably an altar used for domestic ritual ceremonies. The patio connects the residential sector of the palace, on the north, with the southern sector where stands Temple IV.
Temple V at Comalcalco
Temple IV is located in the southern end of the Great Acropolis at Comalcalco, on top of a three-tiered platform. Its central part contains a vaulted gallery which was once hidden by the central stairway leading to the upper temple.
Inside this gallery was the looted burial of a noble person, whose walls were decorated with scenes from the Maya underworld. The interior of the upper temple is divided by two vaulted galleries, the innermost of which contained the shrine.
Here the archaeologists found the remains of a human-like sculpture which was originally built into the wall.
Most of the temples of the Great Acropolis contain funerary crypts, where the elite members of the society, including at least one of Comalcalco rulers, were buried.
Temple IX at Comalcalco
Temple V is a large multi-level temple platform on the west side of the Great Acropolis. Within its southern side are the remains of part of the double stairway which led to the upper temple. This construction served as a shrine as well as a funerary place for elite members of Comalcalco. During the excavations, archaeologists recovered bones of several birds, such as pelicans, ducks and herons, along with fragments of stuccoed figures.
Also known as the Tomb of the Nine Lords of the Night, Temple IX contains a funerary chamber whose walls are decorated with stucco figures of nine individuals. The chamber is located at a lower level, inside the temple platform. Archaeologists suggest that the human remains found in the tomb belong to one of Comalcalco's rulers.
This walking tour is a part of the About.com guide to the Maya Civilization.
AA.VV. 2010, Comalcalco, in Guía de Arquitectura y Paisaje Mayas/ The Maya: An Architectural and Landscape Guide, Centre for Maya Studies (CEM) Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México y Junta de Andalucía, Ciudad de México - Sevilla.
Armijo Torres, Ricardo and Yazmín E. Millán Ruiz, 2002, Tecnología arquitectónica y uso de espacios en la Gran Acrópolis de Comalcalco, Tabasco, in Tercer Congreso Internacional de Mayistas, Memoria. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Universidad de Quintana Roo, pp 189-206.
Rojas Martinez, José Luis, 2002, El ladrillo como material constructivo versus elemento artístico en Comalcalco, in in Tercer Congreso Internacional de Mayistas, Memoria. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Universidad de Quintana Roo, pp 207-214
Comalcalco is a Classic Maya site in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. The ruins are located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Gulf Coast of Mexico, and about 60 km (40 mi) northwest from Villahermosa, capital of the state. The city, whose Maya name was Joy Chan (Surrounded Sky), was inhabited from the Preclassic to the Terminal Classic period, and reached its apogee between the 6th and 9th century AD.
Comalcalco is the westernmost of the Maya sites, and lays in the Chontalpa, a region famous in Precolumbian and Colonial times for growing cacao, as well as for its trade routes and wealthy merchants.
This Walking Tour of Comalcalco illustrates the principal buildings and features of this little-known but well-preserved archaeological site.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Comalcalco - History of the Research
The site of Comalcalco was first visited by American anthropologist Carl Berendt in 1869, but reported only in 1880 by the French explorer Desiré Charnay. At the beginning of the 20th century Frans Blom and Oliver La Farge described the site and provided a first map in their volume Tribes and Temples.
In the mid-20th century archaeological excavations at the site were carried out by Gordon Ekholm of the American Museum of Natural History, who first noticed the peculiarity of Comalcalco architecture, which uses fired bricks as construction elements or architectural veneers for buildings.
Since the 60's the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History has conducted excavations and restoration work at the site which is open to the public.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Architecture of Comalcalco
A total of 432 structures have been recorded at Comalcalco, over an extended area whose actual size is matter of debate. The urban center is divided into three major monumental groups: the North Plaza, the Great Acropolis Plaza, and the Great Acropolis. Many archaeologists have remarked on the similarity between the architecture of Comalcalco and Palenque: the temples have similar plans and orientation, and are decorated with a large number of niches.
In addition, some of the main buildings in both sites have vaulted roofs, sustained by pillars that form internal galleries. While this is a common trait for the palaces of Comalcalco and Palenque, other roofs were made of perishable material.
Comalcalco also had a drainage system made of underground fired-clay pipes. The abundant use of plaster and stucco decorations is another element that Comalcalco and Palenque have in common. The peculiarity of Comalcalco is that most if its architecture was made of fired bricks instead of limestone, as is common in the Maya lowlands. The reason is probably that stone was relatively unavailable in the alluvial plains of Tabasco.
Brick Masonry at Comalcalco
Archaeologists divide the architectural development of Comalcalco into two phases: an earlier phase, when the construction technique consisted of a core of rammed earth which was then covered by a thick layer of plaster; and a later phase, in which the builders either covered the earthen core with fired bricks, or they skipped the earthen core and constructed the buildings with hand-made clay brick masonry.
Most of these bricks were decorated with graffiti portraying real and fantastic animals, sketches of buildings, human and geometric figures, figures that were scratched in as glyphs or modeled in three dimensional high relief.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Fired Clay Brick Images at Comalcalco
The gallery of images on the bricks used in the late phase buildings at Comalcalco offers an unusual insight into the dressing styles, the use of perishable materials in construction, architectural styles, available fauna, as well as beliefs of an ancient Maya community. The bricks were laid in layers and mortared together by ground oyster shells, abundant in the surrounding lagoons.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
The North Plaza at Comalcalco
The North Plaza is rectangular in plan, and surrounded by a complex of temples and platforms. The plaza's west side is closed by the largest temple of Comalcalco, called Temple I. It rises almost 25 meters (~80 feet) above the plaza.
The north side of the plaza is framed by an elongated platform on top of which once stood several temples. Only one of these has been restored, Temple II on the north-western corner.
The southern side is marked by another long platform, with Temple III on its western end. Temple II and III are smaller constructions compared to Temple I.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Temple I at Comalcalco
Temple I at Comalcalco is a pyramidal platform with ten levels reaching nearly 25 meters (~80 feet) in height, on top of which stands the main temple building. The temple faces west and is reachable through a central stairway, overlooking the plaza.
The stairways present both the construction techniques typical of Comalcalco: the lower section is made of bricks while the upper section was covered by stucco.
The temple superstructure was probably decorated with stucco murals which are now gone.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Stucco Decorations at Temple I at Comalcalco
The lower level of Temple I platform is decorated with a series of elegant stucco decorations. Although scant remains of decoration survived, it is possible to recognize a row of figures on the lower tier: a toad, three human figures seating on a band, and another, more complete figure, representing a captive held down by a standing figure, possibly his captor.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Funerary Offering at Comalcalco
Excavations in the North Plaza at Comalcalco also yielded a series of funerary urns (giant clay jars). Inside each of these jars was the body of an individual in a sitting position, accompanied by rich offerings. Grave goods from these jars included ceramic pots, clay figurines and jewelry, shell earrings, shark teeth, carved animal bones, and obsidian and flint knives.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
Temple VI at Comalcalco
The Great Acropolis is located on the southern end of Comalcalco's center core, and it is the largest construction of the site. The acropolis comprises several buildings: a so-called "palace", probably an elite residential compound, three temples, and other residential compounds.
The acropolis was built to mark the east side of the Great Acropolis Plaza: on the north side stand two temples, Temple VI, and Temple VII, and on the west a series of lower structures.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Temple VII at Comalcalco
Temple VI at Comalcalco stands on top of a three-tier platform mound with a central stairway leading to the plaza. The balustrades flanking the steps are decorated with stucco motifs. The lower portion of the temple façade is decorated with a stucco mask representing Itzamnaaj, the Maya sun god.
The Palace at Comalcalco
Temple VII is the second temple on the northern side of the Great Acropolis Plaza, located at the west of Temple VI. Its plan is similar to Temple VI, and the structure is partly made of brick and partly in adobe covered with plaster. The lower tier of the platform is decorated with a series of stucco figures, portraying seated individuals, and a stylized serpent runs on the façade of the upper tier.
The upper temple is reachable from the plaza through a central stairway.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Comalcalco's Sunken Patio
The so-called Palace at Comalcalco is the largest part of the Great Acropolis. The building overlooks the east side of the plaza and stands nine meters (~30 feet) above its floor. As is typical of other examples in the Maya area, the palace is composed of a series of structures arranged around open spaces.
Some of the interior rooms at the palace have niches and low benches. Its façade presents a row of pillars, decorated with stucco figures, and the building is divided into two long galleries.
Both the two-gallery building plan and the abundant use of stucco decorations are elements that connect the style of Comalcalco to Palenque.
Temple IV at Comalcalco
On the southeast corner of the palace is a sunken court or patio. Its surface was once covered by a stucco floor, which is today only partially preserved. On its northeast corner stands a small construction, probably an altar used for domestic ritual ceremonies. The patio connects the residential sector of the palace, on the north, with the southern sector where stands Temple IV.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
Temple V at Comalcalco
Temple IV is located in the southern end of the Great Acropolis at Comalcalco, on top of a three-tiered platform. Its central part contains a vaulted gallery which was once hidden by the central stairway leading to the upper temple.
Inside this gallery was the looted burial of a noble person, whose walls were decorated with scenes from the Maya underworld. The interior of the upper temple is divided by two vaulted galleries, the innermost of which contained the shrine.
Here the archaeologists found the remains of a human-like sculpture which was originally built into the wall.
Most of the temples of the Great Acropolis contain funerary crypts, where the elite members of the society, including at least one of Comalcalco rulers, were buried.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Temple IX at Comalcalco
Temple V is a large multi-level temple platform on the west side of the Great Acropolis. Within its southern side are the remains of part of the double stairway which led to the upper temple. This construction served as a shrine as well as a funerary place for elite members of Comalcalco. During the excavations, archaeologists recovered bones of several birds, such as pelicans, ducks and herons, along with fragments of stuccoed figures.
- Guide to the Maya Civilization
- Mesoamerican Timeline
Also known as the Tomb of the Nine Lords of the Night, Temple IX contains a funerary chamber whose walls are decorated with stucco figures of nine individuals. The chamber is located at a lower level, inside the temple platform. Archaeologists suggest that the human remains found in the tomb belong to one of Comalcalco's rulers.
References
This walking tour is a part of the About.com guide to the Maya Civilization.
AA.VV. 2010, Comalcalco, in Guía de Arquitectura y Paisaje Mayas/ The Maya: An Architectural and Landscape Guide, Centre for Maya Studies (CEM) Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México y Junta de Andalucía, Ciudad de México - Sevilla.
Armijo Torres, Ricardo and Yazmín E. Millán Ruiz, 2002, Tecnología arquitectónica y uso de espacios en la Gran Acrópolis de Comalcalco, Tabasco, in Tercer Congreso Internacional de Mayistas, Memoria. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Universidad de Quintana Roo, pp 189-206.
Rojas Martinez, José Luis, 2002, El ladrillo como material constructivo versus elemento artístico en Comalcalco, in in Tercer Congreso Internacional de Mayistas, Memoria. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Universidad de Quintana Roo, pp 207-214
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