Hormiguero, Mexico

Hormiguero is the name of a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche. It is characterized by the style, which is named after the 60 km eastern Ruin Zone Río Bec. The ruins of Hormiguero was first investigated in 1933 by the American archaeologist Ruppert and Denison and described in detail. Since the late 1980s, the first archaeological excavation and restoration work was carried out.

Building II

Most outstanding building of Hormiguero is the building very well preserved II that combines the most important features of the Rio Bec style in an optimal way: If towers are located at both ends of the main facade, with steep, inaccessible stairs. Under the stairs are narrow, arched passageways, the stepped towers, the characteristic rounded corners and show the high quality stone processing of the Rio Bec style. To small chambers, which are to represent temple buildings are located on the top of the towers (now only remains are present). Unlike other buildings of the Rio Bec style, this temple had a real interior. Between the towers of the central monumental entrance of the building in the shape of a snake 's mouth, the largest surviving such input is above all. The highly stylized face of the reptile is surrounded by cascades of Chaac masks in half profile. The door opening is located in the upward distorted mouth of the animal. Above and to the sides of the door opening ( which is supported by wooden beams ) are executed the huge plastic teeth, middle teeth are designed to represent feilte added to jewelry purposes teeth. The input platform in front of the door represents the ambitious tongue out. On both sides of the lower part of the door opening, the mouth is greatly broadened, even here, the teeth of the upper jaw are clearly visible. Above the doorway to recognize the broad nostrils of the reptile, something deeper and more laterally the slightly slanted nose pegs with the small knob at the end. The rest of the facade is filled with volutes. The plastic facade decoration is executed in thick stucco, the edges are very sharp and cut parallel to them internally runs a contour line. Outside the two stair towers are further inputs into interior spaces, which are flanked by flat gods masks. The back of the building is completely smooth, but has brick pillars on. Two entrances lead to two consecutive spaces that occupy the space behind the towers. Below the platform in front of the entrance is located between the narrow stairs access a central space of a previous building, behind which lies a further. Both have been filled in the construction of the platform, with the upper half of the previous building was demolished.

Building V

North of the described building is located raised the second building with snake foot façade, which is designated by the numeral V. This façade is facing north. Here the same motif is distributed as in Building II on a much narrower facade, whereby the lateral part of the snake mouth appears far less extensive. Since there are no side towers are present, the Eckmasken the mask cascade go all around the corner. Again, the wooden beams of the door entrance are preserved in function. Next to the building, but on the level of the land extends to the east, a narrow building, which has so far only the exterior walls were exposed. Northwest of the building V is a non- excavated close yard, which is bounded on all four sides of totally collapsed buildings.

Tourism

Hormiguero is open for tourism. It can be reached on now largely eroded asphalt road: from Xpujil (on the road MEX 186) first to the south, turn in Eugenio Echeverría west.