From a royal tomb found in Building IV
Cyrus L. Lundell, a biologist employed by the Mexican Exploitation Chicle Company, visited Calakmul on December 29, 1931. Although the site was known by chicleros even before that time, Lundell was the first to make it known to the archaeological community, and in March 1932 went to Chichen Itza to report his discovery to S.G. Morley.
Morley was then creating a comprehensive catalog of dates found on Maya stelae, and writes: "So important did the ruins seem, from Mr. Lundell's description, and so many inscribed monuments did it evidently contain, that it was decided to equip an expedition for its immediate investigation in order to take advantage of transportation facilities at the time available through operations of chicle workers in the region, but which might, in another year, not be available."
Lundell was responsible for naming the site Calakmul. He writes, "In Maya, ca means two, lak means adjacent, and mul signifies any artificial mound or pyramid, so Calakmul is the City of the Two Adjacent Pyramids."
Ater the Carnegie Expeditions in the '30s, work at the site stopped for 40 years -- in part due to the extreme isolation of Calakmul -- until the 1982 project by the Universidad Autónoma de Campeche directed by William J. Folan. The site has subsequently become famous for a series of magnificent jade funerary masks unearthed by the Campeche project.
As studies continue, it becomes increasingly evident that Calakmul was a major superpower and the primary rival to Tikal for dominance of the area. One hundred three carved stelae have been found at this huge site, with dates ranging from 431 A.D. to 830 A.D. Calakmul probably supported a population of over 50,000, and so far more than 6,250 structures have been discovered in an area of 25 square kilometers.
From sign at entrance to site, after Ruppert & Denison's 1932/1933 Campeche Expedition maps
Only the area represented in Ruppert & Denison's map, with some of the major structures and richest tombs, has been restored and is currently available to tourists.
Structure V. Stela 28 and 29 stand in front and are dated 623 A.D. or 9.9.10.0.0
Structure V divides the main plaza into two parts, separating the "E-Group" Structures IV, VI and VIII from the Great Pyramid, Structure II.
All the buildings in the main plaza have stelae or altars, which must have constituted a rich dynastic history of Calakmul's rulers. Unfortunately, most of these monuments are so weathered and degraded that they remain unreadable.
"Calakmul has always been known for the great quantity of its monuments, and it is unique for its paired sets of stela with male-female portraits, the depictions of rulers and their wives. These twin stelae, placed at the north base of the platform of Structure V, are the earliest set of such portraits at Calakmul (A.D. 623) and are associated with Ruler 2 (Stela 29) and his wife (Stela 28). "
Robert Sharer, The Ancient Maya, p.200
Drawings from Ruppert & Denison, Archaeological Reconnaissance in Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Peten, 1934: plate 49
Stela 28 (left) is associated with the wife of Ruler 2, while Stela 29 (right) is Ruler 2 himself. Both husband and wife stand on top of the de rigueur bound prisoner. These stelae have the next-to-oldest dates at Calakmul, and refer to the Mayan long count year 9.9.10.0.0 or 623 A.D.
South side of Structure V: Stela 35 & 36 on left, Stela 34 on right is in the grip of a strangler fig
Calakmul stelae were made from poor quality limestone and tend to be badly eroded. Thus, much of the dynastic information recorded here will forever remain unreadable and most of the information we have about Calakmul comes from inscriptions at other sites, which tended to weather the centuries better than the monuments here.
Regarding the discouraging state of stela 34, Morley wrote: "Probably had been carved on all four sides, though the front and back are too far gone to show details. Sides too far gone to decipher anything."
Ruppert & Denison 1943:13, 107
"From its inception, public architecture is implicitly burdened with an ideological sense through which power structures represent magic-religious concepts and myths.
In the Maya vision of the cosmos, since the Preclassic period, plazas were viewed as the Primordial Sea, and large platforms as Mountains of Creation at the foot of which were erected stelae symbolizing Sacred Trees."
Ramón Carrasco V., "The Metropolis of Calakmul, Campeche," in Maya. Rizzoli: NY (1998)
When we visited Calakmul in February of 1997, on-going archaeological work had temporarily closed Structure II for climbing. Here, workers are removing a large stump which had rooted left of the stair.
Stela 43 used to be considered the earliest known reference to a Calakmul ruler, and was dedicated in 514 A.D., but in 1991 the discovery of Stela 114 pushed the written record at Calakmul back to A.D. 431.
The sub-structural layers of Structure II dates back to the late pre-CLassic era
"The presence of pre-Classic ceramics in unsullied deposits at an open tunnel in this building shows that its fill corresponds to that of a substructure of the late pre-Classic era. Its sequence of construction preserves at least three substructures and four architectural phases: the first two, associated with ceramics in sealed contents; the second phase corresponds to the early Classic (250-600 A.D.) era...
During the early Classic (250-600 A.D.) era the structures of the formative period were modernized or modified, in some cases, and in other, partially demolished to construct new buildings...In that period, probably in front of Structure II, Stela 114 was erected, which bears the date of Long Count 8.19.15.12.13 (431 A.D.) (Marcus and Folan, 1994)."
Ramon Caqrrasco, Calakmul: The Archaeology of a "Superpower." The Stevenson Press, Inc.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
At the same time, the north side of the foundation of Structure II was remodeled by applying a new covering and adding two enormous masks [highlighted by the white rectangles] of more than four meters (13 ft.) in height on both sides of the central staircase.
These huge masks, modeled in stucco, were decorated in red, black and blue.
Ramon Caqrrasco, Calakmul: The Archaeology of a "Superpower." The Stevenson Press, Inc.
We rested at the level of the stone supports before continuing the long climb to the top
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcel
While standing in the Plaza, it is hard to believe that only the smaller portion of this pyramid (II-B), built upon one of the terraces of a larger structure, is visible. The taller structure in back (II-A) is totally obscured from view. This photo was taken from atop Str. XIII, a major palace complex to the northwest of Structure II.
Robert Sharer writes, "Str. II, the largest architectural feature at Calakmul, rests on a massive basal platform bearing a series of Classic monuments along its northern face.
This platform supports a triadic pyramid that recalls the Preclassic temple architecture of El Mirador and other sites.
As Folan has suggested, this arrangement may indicate that Calakmul, too, was an important Preclassic center, one that, unlike its great neighbor to the south, survived the upheavals at the outset of the Classic period and continued on to become a major power."
Robert Sharer, The Ancient Maya, 1994: p. 197-8
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
Setting aside the area around Calakmul as a biological and archaeological reserve was a concept developed by archaeologists William Folan and Roman Pina Chan of the Centro de Investigaciones Historicos y Sociales de la Universidad Autonoma de Campeche, and formally instituted in 1992 with the goal of preserving some 2792 square miles of jungle and wildlife habitat.
A triumphant Tom, Marion, and Barbara atop Structure II
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
I believe that is Str. IV(b) in the background to the north. Structure IV is the central sighting temple of the Calakmul "E Group" and contains the tomb of Ku Hix, who oversaw the renovation of the Great Plaza as well as that of Structure IV itself.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
The top of Structure I is the highest point at the site, sitting, as it does, on the crest of a low (6m) hill, although Structure II to the northwest is actually the largest architectural feature at Calakmul.
Robert Sharer, The Ancient Maya, 1994: p. 198
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
This is the work of looters and their chainsaws...
"A series of monuments on its frontal (western) terrace include Stela 51 [left], portraying Ruler 7.
When Morley recorded it, this was the best-preserved of Calakmul's sculptures, but in more recent times it was sawed into small blocks by looters. Fortunately, the blocks were recovered, and the restored monument is today in the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City.
A worse fate has befallen the other monuments: Stela 89 [right], for example, once stood at the top of the Str. I stairway, but only a few discarded blocks remain there now, the rest having been hauled off to parts unknown to be sold. "
Robert Sharer, The Ancient Maya, 1994: p. 198
Photos from Ruppert and Denison, Archaeological Reconnaissance in Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Peten, 1934: plates 50 & 53
