Kohunlich

Kohunlich is an archaeological site of the Maya from the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The site is located on the Yucatán Peninsula about 50 kilometers west of Chetumal in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Kohunlich was rediscovered in 1912 by the American Raymond Merwin.

The original Mayan name of the city is not known, the term " Kohunlich " comes from a corruption of the English term " Cohoon ridge". This designation was the first archaeologist who studied the archaeological site, Víctor Segovia, acquired. Cohoon, also Cohune, is the name of growing there Kokospalmenart ( " Attalea Cohune " ) with approximately fist-sized coconuts.

Was settled, the former Mayan city about 200 BC, with much of the still visible today Gebäudefragamente from the early classical period (ca. 250-600 AD) came from. The city, with a maximum probable population of around 10,000 has been left during the Endklassikum around 1000 AD. Noteworthy is the coming together of different architectural styles. The most famous building in Kohunlich is the Temple of the Masks, a pyramid with three on either side of the stairs stacked stucco masks decorated.

Groups of buildings

Plaza Yaxná

This group of buildings located in the northwest of the center and belongs to the Middle and Late Preclassic. During this period low platforms, which were almost completely covered later by other buildings. The earliest buildings were built of large, finely-worked stone blocks that were covered with a thick layer of stucco. Of the covering structures that have been studied in more detail with the names E-1 and E-3. E -1 is a south-facing building with an elliptical floor plan, divided into four levels and with a wide, Plaza facing staircase. At the top stood a zweiräumiges building, according to the style of the time and the technical possibilities of the walls were very thick and the interiors very narrow. The building E-3 with a rectangular floor plan consists of three building structures with wide rounded corners, a small building stood on the top surface here with two rooms. The thick walls indicate that this is a high roof comb may have been present. The stair jumps somewhat in the Plaza in front, at its base, the remains of a stele were found.

On the east side of the Plaza, next to the building just described, is E-2, which has an idiosyncratic agenda. It consists of four rectangular platform -like building structures, the two upper ones are shifted significantly to the rear, so that a larger free space in front of them. On the fourth there was the crowning building. A relatively narrow staircase leading to the open space before the third building addition, and another to the surface of the fourth and the standing buildings there. The entire building suffered several structural changes. Stylistic it belongs neither to the other buildings in the Plaza nor to the later built in Kohunlich. In a stone-built depot were found the remains of many people and offerings ( including 40 complete plate ).

Building the masks

Building of the stelae

The building was built about the same time as the early buildings of the Plaza Yaxná, but has a much clearer relationship to the architectural forms of the Petén in Guatemala on. The building consists of four building structures which is located on the top a small building that has probably shown a roof comb. To the west stairs to both sides of the eponymous large stucco masks are arranged, five of which have been preserved is. Four of them show human faces that are provided with elements of the sun god. There seems to be doing to have acted as living persons wearing masks and assign the attributes of the important characteristics of the sun god. The fifth character is a Jaguar, carrying the flag of the sun god as a headdress.

Building of the stelae

The building of the columns located at the foot of the collection, on the tip of the building of the masks is. On the stairs several stelae stand on. Noteworthy are stucco figures of 6 persons sitting, resting, Cauac on representations of the sacred mountains with the repeated image of the glyph.

The Acropolis

Acropolis, south side

Acropolis, place on the surface

This complex is so far understood only to a small extent, because deep excavations have not been carried out. It is a large rectangular block of masonry, on whose surface a large yard has room on its sides are relatively low remains of buildings. On two sides (south and Easter) the underlying structure have been exposed by the erosion of parts. On the south side of one of the typical extremely steep (not mountable ) stairs of the Rio Bec style is visible without that could be said with certainty that the staircase has led up to one of the typical bill temple. On the east side of the access to later deliberately filled with stone material interiors of the previous construction can be seen, which usually lie between the Río Bec towers.

The filling had the purpose to be able to bear the burden of built on the surface of new buildings safer. These small structures on the sides of the plaza are also part of the Rio Bec style, which shows a specific expression in Kohunlich. It is characterized by brick corner columns at the corners of buildings, similarly constructed round, columnar doorposts with inputs from the outside, three membered cornice as the base, and in the middle band alternating groups of usually three small columns with smooth parts, smooth outer wall surfaces accurately machined mostly small, rectangular stones, covered with red painted stucco. The interiors are covered with Mayan corbelled brick and have benches on the narrow sides.

Plaza Merwin

Playground for ball games

On the south side of the Plaza Merwin is a long building with a portico, consisting of paired brick columns. The building and many others of the same type are accessible by almost the entire length of the building occupying staircase. The interiors do not have brick sills.

Playground for ball games

The ball court with the usual characteristics of ball courts in the southern Maya area is something like an eastern continuation of the Plaza Merwin.

Las Vias

West of the Plaza Merwin is a group of around 20 platforms from dry stone walls and an access stairway on one side, on the surface structures must have been made ​​from perishable materials. Oddly, the arrangement is a multiple parallel rows, which is typical of buildings from the Endklassikum or later.

Northwest Group

This group is located west of the Acropolis and consists of two complex buildings, the residence of high-ranking personalities of the place were probably.

Group of 27 steps

View from Building E- 8 on the two farms on Building E- 1

In Kohunlich there are several building complexes, which are regarded as palaces. The more important of this is the group of 27 steps ( grupo de las 27 escalones ) about 300 meters south of the Merwin group ( grupo Merwin ). This group was created on the artificially flattened summit of a low hill, which reached an area of ​​approximately 65 by 50 meters, but was later considerably expanded laterally. The group consists of four buildings of fully or partially enclosed courtyards. The buildings were built in 700-100 AD, some extensive changes in the buildings can be identified. In the final design stage, they reached a place ( patio 3), the whole north side is occupied by the large building E- 8 through the 27 steps. Leading to it consecutively staggered up two broad steps. Opposite him in the south lay the building E-1. During the Late the Classic the court of these two buildings ( and the Building E- 7 on the west side ) formed ( patio 1 ) was divided by a series of smaller buildings in two halves, with access to the southern half ( Patio 2 ) highly restricted was, including the construction of the buildings on the east side helped.

The dominant building location E-8 with 27 meters in length, located on its own around 2 & nbspMeter high platform, had multiple functions. It consists of two parallel rows of spaces, which open to the south or north. In the smaller average area of both series, the rear wall consists of a doorway, so that this building could control access to the inner areas of courtyards and buildings. In addition, two transverse rooms were still available at both ends. In none of the rooms there was bricked benches, so a use for residential or representation expenses can not be assumed.

Den Hof 2 surrounding at least 6 constructions (she is counting unsure ) Access was through a narrow passage between the various components of the building E-2 or a small staircase between buildings E-3 and E - fourth The most important building is the designated as E-1, in the south of the entire system, with also 27 meters in length. The facade is a modified Rio Bec style with brick half-columns. Were arranged in two rows in a manner that corresponds to the structure E8 in many details of 6 areas. Here is a key passage through the middle wall exists, but did not serve as an entrance to another court, but led to a room with three stone benches. The side chambers had a curved, narrow access to the back rooms where benches were also found. This contrast to the otherwise very similarly structured building E-8 makes the functional differences clear: banks, who could have served as sleeping quarters not only, but also, according to the central arrangement, as representation spaces of the local ruling class. You are probably attributable to the numerous located under the floor burials.

The building E-7 on the west side of the two courts 1 and 2 consists of four rooms, two of which are parallel to each other and two transversely at the ends. The two middle rooms are not created at the same time. The rear was built earlier and has brick benches at the center of the back wall and at the northern end. The design of the bench in the middle with niches on the front side, it was a "throne" from. The space has been set parallel to and a small, having door openings on three sides. This design emphasizes the importance of representative throne room behind it, and indicates the function of the entire building. Access was from the farm over a relatively narrow staircase that is aimed precisely at the center of the attached component.

The smaller buildings, which later separated the two farms 1 and 2 and another at the edges were at least partly not covered with the Maya vault but with roofs made ​​of wood and palm leaves.