965J+XJ Ushmal, Yucatan, Mexico
Uxmal is located in the second main Maya habitat area on the Yucatán Peninsula, called Puuc (literally - Land of Low Hills), a region of low mountain ranges on the flat meadows of the Yucatán. According to colonial period sources, Uxmal was founded by Hun Uitzil Chaahk or Ah Kuitok Tutul Xiu in the 8th century. It is assumed that the name Xiu may originate from a region inhabited by Nahuatl-speaking peoples. However, according to archaeological data, settlements in this territory existed at least 200 years earlier. These early city inhabitants cannot yet be identified. The only ruler of Uxmal known from contemporary sources is Chan Chaahk K’ahk’nal Ahau. It was under him that the city’s appearance became as magnificent as we see it now. Inscriptions mentioning this ruler date from 895 to 907 AD.
The ruins of the Maya city of Uxmal (pronounced oosh-maul) preserve the grandeur of what once was. The name Uxmal, according to the most common version, means “thrice built,” likely indicating that the city underwent several large-scale reconstructions. Its ruins contain richly decorated carvings, friezes, and sculptures integrated into the architecture, but at some point in the 10th century, construction of this prosperous city ceased, and long before the arrival of the Spanish, the Maya had left. The surviving buildings, such as the Quadrangle of the Nunnery, the Governor’s House, the House of the Turtles, and the later upper temples of the Magician’s Pyramid, are among the finest architectural monuments of the ancient Maya world. All these names undoubtedly belong to modern times, given by the first explorers based on conjecture. The true purpose of the buildings remains a mystery.
The date of Uxmal’s final abandonment is unknown and controversial, although the Maya probably remained there longer than in their southern cities, which fell approximately starting from the 9th century. Most likely, Uxmal ceased to be the active political capital of the region around 950 AD, although some scholars argue that centralized government persisted into the 10th century or later.
Modern archaeologists continue to study the exquisite ruins of this site, including the legendary pyramid, the large governor’s house, and others, to understand how the Maya adapted to changing threats from enemies and the natural environment. Uxmal continues to amaze and offer new clues about what life was like there more than a millennium ago.
At the end of the 10th century AD, Uxmal was captured by the Tutul-Xiu tribe, associated with the Toltecs. Their arrival in the Yucatán and the rebuilding of Puuc Uxmal are recounted in several so-called “Chilam Balam” books (literally “Books of the Jaguar Prophet”), which were written shortly after the Spanish conquest of America by baptized Yucatec Indians in the Maya language but using Latin letters. One of these books, the “Chilam Balam of the town of Mani,” reports that Ah-Suytok-Tutul-Xiu founded Uxmal in the “katun 2 Ahau.” Since a katun is a Maya time unit equivalent to 20 years, and katun 2 Ahau begins with the Maya year 10.9.0.0.0, i.e., 987 AD, and ends in 1007 AD, we can date this third, the only historically confirmed foundation of Uxmal, to approximately the year 1000. Another “Book of the Jaguar Prophet,” the “Chilam Balam of Chumayel,” mentions a bit about the background of the Xiu state. It contains a phrase stating that in 1542, when the book was written, 870 years had passed since the city of Uxmal was abandoned and fell into ruin. Therefore, we can assume that at least 250 years passed between the fall of Uxmal II and the new foundation of the thrice-built city. In the 13th–15th centuries, Uxmal engaged in internecine wars with Mayapan and Chichén Itzá for political dominance over the Yucatán. The exact chronology of these events is unclear due to contradictions in the sources, but likely at the beginning of the 13th century AD, Uxmal was defeated by the forces of Mayapan. According to later sources, the Xiu dynasty moved its capital from Uxmal to Mani, where family members still live today. The wars ended with the fall of Mayapan in 1441. The ruins of Uxmal, divided into six groups, have been repeatedly studied by archaeologists from the USA and Mexico. Partial restoration of the buildings has been carried out. Among the numerous monuments of monumental architecture, the most significant are: the “Governor’s Palace” — one of the most beautiful buildings, richly decorated with sculpture and mosaic friezes; the “Pyramid of the Magician” — a temple on a pyramid (30 m high); the “Dovecote”; the “Nunnery Quadrangle” — a complex of four buildings surrounding an inner courtyard with an arch on the southern side; the “House of the Turtles”; and the “House of the Dwarf.” Scholars estimate that up to 25,000 people lived in the city. Based on stylistic features, the surviving buildings can be dated to the period from 700 to 1000 AD. Characteristic of Uxmal are large, square plazas bordered by buildings in the classic Puuc style, as well as its late variant found only here. This style is also called “Indian Baroque” due to the abundance of iconographic details. The main motifs of Maya art are anthropomorphic deities, snakes, and masks. Maya settlements were waterless, so rain god Chaak’s mask is often seen among the decorations. The prototype of all twisted decorative elements is the snake. The main building material was stone. Buildings were constructed from stone blocks and concrete slabs. A distinctive feature of the style is the variety of facade decorations. The upper part was adorned with stucco images, geometric figures, and stone mosaics. The ornamental elements of the buildings contrasted strikingly with the smooth walls.
Although the existence of Uxmal was no secret to the local inhabitants, the ancient ruins were first discovered and described by English artist and archaeologist Frederick Catherwood and American lawyer and diplomat John Lloyd Stephens.
Sources:
Talakh Viktor Nikolaevich: Classical and Postclassic Yucatán According to Written Sources
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ушмаль
Ivanov Dmitry Viktorovich: Architecture, History, and Art of Uxmal
Sting Miroslav: Mysteries of the Indian Pyramids
https://our-civilization.com/civilizacia/maja/usmal-2
