Travel Guide Ek' Balam

The archaeological site of Ek'Balam, whose name means "the black jaguar" or "the black star" (depending on interpretation), lies some 30 km north of Valladolid. It was occupied from the 4th century BC until the arrival of the Spaniards; its heyday is thought to have been between the late 8th and early 10th centuries, a period associated with the political and spiritual leader Ukin Kan Le'k Tok' and his descendants. The site began to be mapped in the 1980s, and is thought to have been located thanks to aerial photos. Excavation and clearance of the 45 buildings on this little-known site, which has nothing to envy of other capitals in the region, only began in 1994. According to experts, Ek'Balam represents a precious source of engraved information and a unique sample of ornamental pieces from the Maya civilization, including the sublime bas-reliefs found on the façade of its acropolis, not to mention the 7,000 offerings found in the tomb of Ukin Kan Le'k Tok' (ceramic tableware, shell objects, etc.).