Yaxchilán a Magical Place Still Undiscovered

This sacred place is an enormous city inside the Lacadona Jungle in Chiapas. It was discovered in 1882 by the English archeologist Alfred Maudslay. In this place you can see very well conserved walls of estuco (estuco was like the cement of the Mayas). All Mayan cities and walls were covered with estuco and painted so looking at this pyramids gives you an idea of how they were in the past.

It counts with many structures, temples and a main plaza. There is not a total recovery work yet done in this Mayan city so you may see a lot of pyramids covered by the vegetation, looking this makes you feel as an explorer discovering a magical place.

Yaxchilán also counts with the ball game and in the front of the central plaza a building named Templo 33 (Temple 33) that is the highest place in the city. This building is work of Pájaro Jaguar (Jaguar Bird) and Xoc his son. This building details the most important things of their reign. There are a lot of vestiges in the city but time, rain and the jungle had afected the place.

Yachilán history starts with Yoaat B'alam I and its foundation. This personage is denominated as the first lord of the state.

After the founder there are many rulers until arriving to Jaguar Primero (First Jaguar), who emphasize his agility as leader and military strategist. He captured important personages of Piedras Negras (Black Rocks), Tikal and Bonampak.

In one of the Temple is a magnificent sculpture of Pájaro Jaguar with his head cut, the head is in one place nearby. The leyend says that when the head of Pájaro Jaguar gets back to his body the Celestial Jaguar warriors will destroy the planet.

Going to this city is a magical experience, no Mayan city is more impressive than other. A trip to this city is an adventure that you will never forget, it is not so easy to get ther but it worth it.

A Prominent Reign

The son of Itzamanaaj B'alam is who is rememberd historicaly, Pájaro Jaguar IV (Bird Jaguar) reigned for 16 years, from 752 to 768. He was borned when this father was 60 years old and he ir remember because of the numerous buildings that were made and modifications during his reign.

After Pájaro Jaguar rules Itzamnaan B'alam III and finally K'inich Tatb'u III who was the last king of the city who captured Piedras Negras King.