Chacchoben (chak-CHO-ben; Maya for "the place of red corn") is a Maya ruin approximately 110 mi (177 km) south of Tulum and 7 mi (11 km) from the village from which it derives its name.
Settlement by the Maya at the site is estimated at 200 BC, and the structures date from 700 AD. It is characterised by large temples and massive platform groups.[1]
Modern discoveryedit
In the 1940s a farm was established near the site by the Cohuo family. The site was reported visited by archeologist Loring Hewen and briefly described in a letter to ethnohistorian Ralph Roys in 1962. The principal pyramid was apparently then still used as a site for religious worship.[2] The ruins were officially reported to the Mexican government in June 1972 by Dr. Peter Harrison, an Americanarchaeologist who was working on a project for The Royal Ontario Museum, and who also made the first maps of Chacchoben. Harrison stumbled upon this site while flying a helicopter over Mexico and noticed numerous hills in predominantly flat lands. Harrison realized there were temples beneath these hills, which were naturally covered over a period of 2000 years.[3]
Restorationedit
In 1994 the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) excavated and restored the site, which was closed to the public until 2002. Today one temple is still overgrown with nature, and they were unable to restore it.
Chacchoben todayedit
Visitors to the site today walk a circular path that includes three excavated and restored pyramids, as well as many walls and staircases. Excavation is continuing on several mounds which are known to contain further buildings. Some structures still bear traces of the red paint with which they were originally coated, and INAH has set up shaded areas to prevent further degradation of this pigment by the sun. Also notable at the base of the largest pyramid is a large stone slab called a stela with a Maya hieroglyphic inscription. Chacchoben is one of the more popular ruin sites in southern Quintana Roo, with regular tourist trips from the port of Costa Maya.
Along the path between the larger temples there is a small grouping of stone footings and stairs from some of the homes built on this site.
External linksedit
Chacchoben tourism site
Referencesedit
^Norman Yoffee (2007). Negotiating the Past in the Past: Identity, Memory, and Landscape in Archaeological Research. University of Arizona Press. p. 193. ISBN9780816526703. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
^{Loring Hewen, New York, to Ralph Roys, Seattle, 20 August 1962, The Ralph L. Roys Papers, Accession 1712-72-17, Special Collections, The University of Washington.}
chacchoben, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, 2015, le. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Chacchoben news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2015 Learn how and when to remove this message Chacchoben chak CHO ben Maya for the place of red corn is a Maya ruin approximately 110 mi 177 km south of Tulum and 7 mi 11 km from the village from which it derives its name ChacchobenMaya SiteChacchobenLocation on the Yucatan Peninsula in MexicoCoordinates 19 00 02 94 N 88 13 56 57 W 19 0008167 N 88 2323806 W 19 0008167 88 2323806CountryMexicoStateQuintana RooConstructed700Time zoneUTC 6 CST Summer DST UTC 5 Central Daylight Time Contents 1 History 2 Modern discovery 3 Restoration 4 Chacchoben today 5 Image gallery 6 External links 7 ReferencesHistory editSettlement by the Maya at the site is estimated at 200 BC and the structures date from 700 AD It is characterised by large temples and massive platform groups 1 Modern discovery editIn the 1940s a farm was established near the site by the Cohuo family The site was reported visited by archeologist Loring Hewen and briefly described in a letter to ethnohistorian Ralph Roys in 1962 The principal pyramid was apparently then still used as a site for religious worship 2 The ruins were officially reported to the Mexican government in June 1972 by Dr Peter Harrison an American archaeologist who was working on a project for The Royal Ontario Museum and who also made the first maps of Chacchoben Harrison stumbled upon this site while flying a helicopter over Mexico and noticed numerous hills in predominantly flat lands Harrison realized there were temples beneath these hills which were naturally covered over a period of 2000 years 3 Restoration editIn 1994 the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History INAH excavated and restored the site which was closed to the public until 2002 Today one temple is still overgrown with nature and they were unable to restore it Chacchoben today editVisitors to the site today walk a circular path that includes three excavated and restored pyramids as well as many walls and staircases Excavation is continuing on several mounds which are known to contain further buildings Some structures still bear traces of the red paint with which they were originally coated and INAH has set up shaded areas to prevent further degradation of this pigment by the sun Also notable at the base of the largest pyramid is a large stone slab called a stela with a Maya hieroglyphic inscription Chacchoben is one of the more popular ruin sites in southern Quintana Roo with regular tourist trips from the port of Costa Maya The surrounding jungle is characterized by abundant species of fauna such as deer peccary armadillo gray fox spider monkey and howler monkey Deeper into the jungle more dangerous animals like jaguar ocelot puma and tapir can be found Image gallery edit nbsp Mayan Temple in Chacchoben February 2022 nbsp Temple Pyramid at Chacchoben August 2007 nbsp View of the ruins at Chacchoben from the air nbsp Temple Pyramid at Chacchoben from tourist pathway nbsp Chacchoben Maya Ruins nbsp Ruins in jungles Chacchoben nbsp Sign and Temple Pyramid nbsp Along the path between the larger temples there is a small grouping of stone footings and stairs from some of the homes built on this site External links editOfficial INAH site In Spanish Chacchoben tourism siteReferences edit Norman Yoffee 2007 Negotiating the Past in the Past Identity Memory and Landscape in Archaeological Research University of Arizona Press p 193 ISBN 9780816526703 Retrieved 24 April 2015 Loring Hewen New York to Ralph Roys Seattle 20 August 1962 The Ralph L Roys Papers Accession 1712 72 17 Special Collections The University of Washington Justine M Shaw Jennifer P Mathews 2005 Quintana Roo Archaeology illustrated ed University of Arizona Press p 198 ISBN 9780816524419 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chacchoben amp oldid 1152185770, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
