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Balamku

January 01, 1970

Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site located in the Mexican state of Campeche.[1] It features elaborate plaster facades dating to the Early Classic period.[2] It has one of the largest surviving stucco friezes in the Maya world. Balamku was first occupied from around 300 BC. Its most important buildings date from AD 300–600.

Temple pyramid at Balamku

Location edit

Balamku is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of the ruins of the great Maya city of Calakmul, approximately the same distance west of Becan, 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of Xpujil and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of the ruins of Nadzca'an.[3] The ruins lie upon a poorly drained karstic plateau.[4]

The architectural style of Balamku has more in common with the Petén tradition to the south, although Río Bec influences are also evident.[5]

History edit

 
Section of stucco frieze in Structure I

Balamku was occupied from about 300 BC, in the Late Preclassic, through to the Terminal Classic period, between 800 and 1000 AD.[4] The earliest architecture in the site is found in the Central and South Groups, dating to the Late Preclassic to Early Classic transition.[6]

The ruins were discovered in 1990 by Mexican archaeologist Florentino García Cruz in the company of INAH custodians, when they investigated a report of archaeological looting; they found a looters' trench that had partly uncovered a painted stucco frieze that had originally formed part of the upper facade of an Early Classic building. After initial rescue work, the site was formally excavated in 1994 to 1995 by a team headed by Mexican archaeologist Ramón Carrasco and including two French archaeologists, Claude Baudez and Jean Pierre Courau.[7] Carrasco and his Mexican team concentrated on the Central Group while the French archaeologists investigated the South Group.[8]

Site description edit

The ruins of Balamku cover an area of approximately 25 hectares (62 acres).[4] The site features a very low density of peripheral architecture around the principal groups; by 100 metres (330 ft) away there are practically no further buildings.[9]

Architectural Groups edit

The ruins are distributed in four major architectural groups.[10] The Central and North Groups are situated close to water sources.[11]

Central Group edit

The Central Group comprises three plazas, labelled as Plaza A, B and C.[4]

Plaza A is situated at the southern extreme of the Central Group. It supports a Mesoamerican ballcourt and a number of mounds that have not yet been investigated archaeologically.[4]

Plaza B is located in the northwestern sector of the Central Group. It is enclosed by Structure I on the north side, Structure IV on the south side, and structures V and VI on the east and west sides respectively.[4] Test pits have uncovered architectural remains dating back to the Late Preclassic, the earliest phase of operation at the site.[6]

Plaza C is separated from Plaza B by Structure V. It is bordered by Structure II on its north side and Structure III on its west side. It is enclosed on its south side by a number of unexcavated structures.[4]

South Group edit

 
Structures in the South Group

The South Group comprises four plazas, labelled A through to D.[12]

Plaza A is enclosed by Structure D5-5 on its north side. Structure D5-10 limits its western side and Structure D5-11 encloses it on the south side.[4]

Plaza B has Structure D5-5 on its eastern side. Structure D5-10 is on the south side of the plaza and Structure D5-7 encloses the northern side of the plaza.[4]

Plaza C is bordered by Structure D5-4 and Structure D5-6 on its east and south sides respectively.[13]

Plaza D is enclosed by Structure D5-1 on its eastern side. Structure D5-2 limits the south side of the plaza and Structure D5-3 closes the plaza on the west side.[13]

Southwest Group edit

The Southwest Group consists of two structures that together form an E-Group astronomical complex.[13]

North Group edit

The North Group has not been excavated by archaeologists although it has been mapped. It consists of six plazas bordered by structures, some of which over 15 metres (49 ft) tall.[13]

Structures edit

Structure I is located in the Central Group. Excavations of an earlier substructure (Sub I-A) have uncovered a stucco frieze stylistically dated to between the 4th century BC and the middle of the 6th century AD,[11] although radiocarbon dating of the lintel of the structure returned a date of 631 AD ± 30 years. The frieze was first uncovered by looters and was fully excavated under the direction of INAH. The complete frieze measured 16.8 metres (55 ft) long when excavated and stood 1.75 metres (5.7 ft) high.[7] The frieze combines imagery of rulers with that of a sacred mountain.[14] The frieze preserved almost intact;[8] it is protected by roofing and is accessible to visitors.[15]

Structure D5-5 is located in the South Group between plazas B and C.[12] Two burials were excavated in the structure, one of them was an elite status individual.[11]

Structure D5-10, in the South Group, is built over two earlier structures dating to the Late Preclassic.[6]

Structure D5-11 is located in the South Group, on the south side of Plaza A. It dates as far back as the Late Preclassic and is one of the earliest known buildings at Balamku.[6]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 437.
  2. ^ Sharer and Traxler 2006, p. 214.
  3. ^ Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 438. Arnauld et al 1998, p. 144.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 438.
  5. ^ Arnauld 1998, pp. 144-145.
  6. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 445.
  7. ^ a b Arnauld et al 1998, p. 144.
  8. ^ a b Benavides C. 2005, p. 16.
  9. ^ Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 444.
  10. ^ Rodríguez Campero 2008, pp. 438–440.
  11. ^ a b c Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 443.
  12. ^ a b Rodríguez Campero 2008, pp. 438, 440.
  13. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Campero 2008, p. 440.
  14. ^ Rodríguez Campero 2008, pp. 443-444.
  15. ^ Carrasco Vargas and Colón González 2006, p. 393.

References edit

  • Arnauld, Charlotte; Marie France Fauvet-Berthelot; Dominique Michelet; Pierre Becquelin (1998). J.P. Laporte; H. Escobedo (eds.). [Balamku, Campeche, Mexico: History of the South Group] (PDF). Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1997 (in Spanish). XI. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología: 144–161. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  • Benavides C., Antonio (2005). "Campeche archaeology at the turn of the century" (PDF). Anthropological Notebooks. XI (1). Ljubljana, Slovenia: Slovene Anthropological Society: 13–30. ISSN 1408-032X. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  • Carrasco Vargas, Ramón; Marinés Colón González (2006). J.P. Laporte; B. Arroyo; H. Mejía (eds.). [Calakmul Archaeological Project: A re-evaluation of conservation in archaeology] (PDF). Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2005 (in Spanish). XIX. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología: 393–405. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  • Rodríguez Campero, Omar (2008). J.P. Laporte; B. Arroyo; H. Mejía (eds.). [Urban composition characteristics of the Calakmul, Balamku and Nadzca'an sites] (PDF). Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2007 (in Spanish). XXI. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología: 437–457. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  • Sharer, Robert J.; Loa P. Traxler (2006). The Ancient Maya (6th, fully revised ed.). Stanford, California, USA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4817-9. OCLC 57577446.

Further reading edit

  • Arnauld, Charlotte; Dominique Michelet; Gregory Pereira; Fabienne de Pierrebourg; Philippe Nondédéo (1999). J.P. Laporte; H.L. Escobedo (eds.). [Balamku: Third Field Season, 1998] (PDF). Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1998 (in Spanish). XII. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología: 613–627. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  • De Pierrebourg, Fabienne (2004). J.P. Laporte; B. Arroyo; H. Escobedo; H. Mejía (eds.). [Preliminary ceramic sequence for Balamku, Campeche, Mexico] (PDF). Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2003 (in Spanish). XVII. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología: 340–356. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-11-10.

18°33′37″N 89°56′40″W / 18.56028°N 89.94444°W / 18.56028; -89.94444

January 01, 1970
balamku, small, maya, archaeological, site, located, mexican, state, campeche, features, elaborate, plaster, facades, dating, early, classic, period, largest, surviving, stucco, friezes, maya, world, first, occupied, from, around, most, important, buildings, d. Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site located in the Mexican state of Campeche 1 It features elaborate plaster facades dating to the Early Classic period 2 It has one of the largest surviving stucco friezes in the Maya world Balamku was first occupied from around 300 BC Its most important buildings date from AD 300 600 Temple pyramid at Balamku Contents 1 Location 2 History 3 Site description 3 1 Architectural Groups 3 1 1 Central Group 3 1 2 South Group 3 1 3 Southwest Group 3 1 4 North Group 3 2 Structures 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingLocation editBalamku is located 50 kilometres 31 mi north of the ruins of the great Maya city of Calakmul approximately the same distance west of Becan 60 kilometres 37 mi west of Xpujil and 12 kilometres 7 5 mi southeast of the ruins of Nadzca an 3 The ruins lie upon a poorly drained karstic plateau 4 The architectural style of Balamku has more in common with the Peten tradition to the south although Rio Bec influences are also evident 5 History edit nbsp Section of stucco frieze in Structure I Balamku was occupied from about 300 BC in the Late Preclassic through to the Terminal Classic period between 800 and 1000 AD 4 The earliest architecture in the site is found in the Central and South Groups dating to the Late Preclassic to Early Classic transition 6 The ruins were discovered in 1990 by Mexican archaeologist Florentino Garcia Cruz in the company of INAH custodians when they investigated a report of archaeological looting they found a looters trench that had partly uncovered a painted stucco frieze that had originally formed part of the upper facade of an Early Classic building After initial rescue work the site was formally excavated in 1994 to 1995 by a team headed by Mexican archaeologist Ramon Carrasco and including two French archaeologists Claude Baudez and Jean Pierre Courau 7 Carrasco and his Mexican team concentrated on the Central Group while the French archaeologists investigated the South Group 8 Site description editThe ruins of Balamku cover an area of approximately 25 hectares 62 acres 4 The site features a very low density of peripheral architecture around the principal groups by 100 metres 330 ft away there are practically no further buildings 9 Architectural Groups edit The ruins are distributed in four major architectural groups 10 The Central and North Groups are situated close to water sources 11 Central Group edit The Central Group comprises three plazas labelled as Plaza A B and C 4 Plaza A is situated at the southern extreme of the Central Group It supports a Mesoamerican ballcourt and a number of mounds that have not yet been investigated archaeologically 4 Plaza B is located in the northwestern sector of the Central Group It is enclosed by Structure I on the north side Structure IV on the south side and structures V and VI on the east and west sides respectively 4 Test pits have uncovered architectural remains dating back to the Late Preclassic the earliest phase of operation at the site 6 Plaza C is separated from Plaza B by Structure V It is bordered by Structure II on its north side and Structure III on its west side It is enclosed on its south side by a number of unexcavated structures 4 South Group edit nbsp Structures in the South Group The South Group comprises four plazas labelled A through to D 12 Plaza A is enclosed by Structure D5 5 on its north side Structure D5 10 limits its western side and Structure D5 11 encloses it on the south side 4 Plaza B has Structure D5 5 on its eastern side Structure D5 10 is on the south side of the plaza and Structure D5 7 encloses the northern side of the plaza 4 Plaza C is bordered by Structure D5 4 and Structure D5 6 on its east and south sides respectively 13 Plaza D is enclosed by Structure D5 1 on its eastern side Structure D5 2 limits the south side of the plaza and Structure D5 3 closes the plaza on the west side 13 Southwest Group edit The Southwest Group consists of two structures that together form an E Group astronomical complex 13 North Group edit The North Group has not been excavated by archaeologists although it has been mapped It consists of six plazas bordered by structures some of which over 15 metres 49 ft tall 13 Structures edit Structure I is located in the Central Group Excavations of an earlier substructure Sub I A have uncovered a stucco frieze stylistically dated to between the 4th century BC and the middle of the 6th century AD 11 although radiocarbon dating of the lintel of the structure returned a date of 631 AD 30 years The frieze was first uncovered by looters and was fully excavated under the direction of INAH The complete frieze measured 16 8 metres 55 ft long when excavated and stood 1 75 metres 5 7 ft high 7 The frieze combines imagery of rulers with that of a sacred mountain 14 The frieze preserved almost intact 8 it is protected by roofing and is accessible to visitors 15 Structure D5 5 is located in the South Group between plazas B and C 12 Two burials were excavated in the structure one of them was an elite status individual 11 Structure D5 10 in the South Group is built over two earlier structures dating to the Late Preclassic 6 Structure D5 11 is located in the South Group on the south side of Plaza A It dates as far back as the Late Preclassic and is one of the earliest known buildings at Balamku 6 Notes edit Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 437 Sharer and Traxler 2006 p 214 Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 438 Arnauld et al 1998 p 144 a b c d e f g h i Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 438 Arnauld 1998 pp 144 145 a b c d Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 445 a b Arnauld et al 1998 p 144 a b Benavides C 2005 p 16 Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 444 Rodriguez Campero 2008 pp 438 440 a b c Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 443 a b Rodriguez Campero 2008 pp 438 440 a b c d Rodriguez Campero 2008 p 440 Rodriguez Campero 2008 pp 443 444 Carrasco Vargas and Colon Gonzalez 2006 p 393 References editArnauld Charlotte Marie France Fauvet Berthelot Dominique Michelet Pierre Becquelin 1998 J P Laporte H Escobedo eds Balamku Campeche Mexico Historia del Grupo Sur Balamku Campeche Mexico History of the South Group PDF Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala 1997 in Spanish XI Guatemala City Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia 144 161 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 14 Retrieved 2012 11 10 Benavides C Antonio 2005 Campeche archaeology at the turn of the century PDF Anthropological Notebooks XI 1 Ljubljana Slovenia Slovene Anthropological Society 13 30 ISSN 1408 032X Retrieved 2012 11 11 Carrasco Vargas Ramon Marines Colon Gonzalez 2006 J P Laporte B Arroyo H Mejia eds Proyecto Arqueologico Calakmul Una revaloracion de la conservacion en la arqueologia Calakmul Archaeological Project A re evaluation of conservation in archaeology PDF Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala 2005 in Spanish XIX Guatemala City Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia 393 405 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 20 Retrieved 2012 11 11 Rodriguez Campero Omar 2008 J P Laporte B Arroyo H Mejia eds Caracteristicas de la composicion urbana de los sitios de Calakmul Balamku y Nadzca an Urban composition characteristics of the Calakmul Balamku and Nadzca an sites PDF Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala 2007 in Spanish XXI Guatemala City Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia 437 457 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 14 Retrieved 2012 11 10 Sharer Robert J Loa P Traxler 2006 The Ancient Maya 6th fully revised ed Stanford California USA Stanford University Press ISBN 0 8047 4817 9 OCLC 57577446 Further reading editArnauld Charlotte Dominique Michelet Gregory Pereira Fabienne de Pierrebourg Philippe Nondedeo 1999 J P Laporte H L Escobedo eds Balamku Tercera Temporada de Campo 1998 Balamku Third Field Season 1998 PDF Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala 1998 in Spanish XII Guatemala City Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia 613 627 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 14 Retrieved 2012 11 10 De Pierrebourg Fabienne 2004 J P Laporte B Arroyo H Escobedo H Mejia eds Secuencia ceramica preliminar de Balamku Campeche Mexico Preliminary ceramic sequence for Balamku Campeche Mexico PDF Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala 2003 in Spanish XVII Guatemala City Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia 340 356 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 14 Retrieved 2012 11 10 18 33 37 N 89 56 40 W 18 56028 N 89 94444 W 18 56028 89 94444 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Balamku amp oldid 1003499325, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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