Dzibilchaltun

Did You Know?

• The region between Dzibilchaltún and the sea coast is either mangrove swamps or bare rock.
• The ancient builders may have chosen the site to be as close as possible to the coastal salt-producing region, about 22 km away.

Overview

The site has been continuously occupied for thousands of years, expanding into a mid-sized city and contracting back to a small town more than once. It lies about 30 minutes north of Mérida and about the same distance south of the Chicxulub meteorite impact site. Stela 10 memorializes a king named K'alo'mte' Uk'uuw Chan Chaahk, though many stelae at the site are eroded.

Architecture

The Temple of the Seven Dolls, named for seven small effigies found beneath a later temple pyramid in the 1950s, is the most famous structure. On the vernal equinox, visitors observe the sunrise through its doorways, though no archaeological feature marks an observation spot, making any relationship between the temple's orientation and the equinoxes highly unlikely. A sacbe, or white road, connects the temple to the rest of the site.

Surroundings

Cenote Xlakah, located near the center of the ruins, likely influenced the builders' choice of location due to its clean drinking water. Archaeological findings from the cenote, including carved bones, wooden objects, and mainly vases, indicate it was the center of a religious cult. Traditionally used as a swimming hole, it is currently closed, apparently for maintenance, though there is evidence of pollution from waste water. A 16th-century Spanish church ruin stands at the site. The visitor center offers maps, restrooms, and gift shops; backpacks must be left in lockers. Guides can be hired for tours. The renovated museum, housing Mayan artifacts, has re-opened but is closed on Mondays.