Campeche and Quintana Roo Archaeology Extravaganza! (pt.2 - Xpujil and Chicanna)

Ok… here we go. Chicanna… yikes! What a site; I had no idea Chicanna was going to be so incredible. It is not really that big a site, and although it does have some fairly large monuments, those are not the ones that interested me. I heard somebody say that Chicanna seemed like “Mayan Baroque” and really I think that is a fair statement. The amount and quality of the detail was really impressive… especially in the monumental altar with the wide open mouth of the “Monster of the Earth”. This monument seemed to me reminiscent of the altar in the main pyramid in Ek-Balam (in Yucatan)… however this one is mostly made out of rock not stucco (although stucco is present). There is also a very interesting two floor temple adorned with rain god mask (Chacc) and hieroglyphic writing. The building is also square as opposed to the usual rectangular structure. Xpujil is an interesting site as well… although a tough act to follow after Chicanna, it is however cool in its own right. The main temple of the city is quite large and certainly noteworthy… it actually for some reason reminded me of the Oracle of Apollo in Dydima (Turkey) … although the feeling does not seem to communicate the same way in the photographs. Anyway enjoy the photos.