Tulum (or Tuluum) is an archeological site of an old Maya city . It is located in the peninsula of the Yucatan, in the south-east of the Mexico, (State of the Quintana Roo) in an area called the Riviera Maya along the Caribbean Sea.

Historical context of the site

The foundation of the city seems to go up with 564 as indicates it certain inscriptions. The Maya city of Cobá, whose apogee is towards 650 used the site of Tulum like an important fishing port and can be also of trade for the exchanges towards other cities of the area. artefacts in Flint, potteries of the peninsula of Yucatan, objects in Obsidian or Jade of the Guatemala and grelots and rings in Copper of the Mexican central plate, show the importance of these exchanges. Structure 59 also shows the print of the style of Maya the Classique time.

But the major part of the vestiges date from the postclassic Period late, i.e. after 1200. Some Fresques discovered inside the buildings let suggest an influence Mixtèque.

Recent analyzes tend to show that Tulum had an important role of XIIIe at the 14th century. Archeologist Ernesto Vargas has shown that the city was strategically placed between the provinces (kuchkabaloob) of Cochuah and Cozumel, which, if one adds his construction on the highest point of the Coast and his defensive wall system, placed it in an inevitable place for any trade route and the exploitation of the important maritime resources of the area. Ernesto Vargas thinks that Tulum was a city (batabil) independent of the other cities of the area.

Like shows it the painted frescos and some Bas-reliefs, Tulum seems to have been a major site dedicated to the worship of the Plunger God.

The city was still inhabited by the populations Maya at the time of the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors, but it was abandoned during XVIe century. Until the beginning of the XXe century, certain village of the surroundings were accustomed to bringing offerings to Tulum, but the continuous visits of the tourists caused the end of this practice.

History of the site

This Maya city was identified like having had for original name Zamá, which means the city of the paddle. Tulum is also a Maya word meaning barrier or fence, which is included/understood easily since the city is surrounded by thick protective walls.

First has to identify the city was Juan Diaz, in 1518, which belonged to the forwarding of Juan de Grijalva. It described it like a city rich and splendid with the image of Seville in Spain. But the first detailed study of the site was carried out by the famous explorers John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood which off published in 1843 the book “Incidents Travel in Yucatan”.

Nowadays thousands of tourists come daily to visit the ruins within the framework of excursions organized by the hotels and Tours operators of the area. Tulum is the 3rd archeological site more visited of Mexico after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza and right in front of Monte Albán.

Visit site

The site of Tulum appears modest and not very wide (6 km along the coast), especially if one compares it with those of Cobá or of Chichen Itza but it is built in an exceptional natural site, in edge of the Mexican Caribbean Sea with the turquoise colors and on a rock headland which particularly emphasizes the buildings. The majority of the monuments had ceremonial functions. Traces of red painting of color can be observed on certain buildings. That suggests that they were painted during the Maya period .

Wall

The wall girds the center of the city of the west coasts and North-South. The east coast is in edge of sea and profits from a small protective natural cliff. 5 accesses and two turns of observation are counted. That shows at which point one wished to protect the heart from the city. A very significant number of dwellings were outside the wall. Inside the city one will observe the traces of one second wall of protection.

Castillo

The highest building of the site, that the conquistador Bernard Diaz described like a “Tower”, one also notices it by its situation and the singular frontage of the higher temple. This one has three accesses decorated with serpentine columns, of a representation of the plunger God and two medallions Zoomorphe S with the angles.

The current aspect of the monument is the result of several stages distinct from construction. Most recent is represented by the two small temples placed on each side of the principal staircase. In front of one notices a platform perhaps intended for certain dances or processions and on the sides of other buildings complementary to the overall structure and among which it is necessary to mention the Temple of the Initial Series where is registered the most recent date of the site.

Temple of plunger God

Located at the north of the site, it is composed of a small base on which was built a temple decorated with the image of the plunger God, principal element of the iconography of the site.

Principal roadway

It is a true street bordered of various residential buildings. Most important of them is the Temple of the frescos.

Temple of the frescos

In the beginning it is about a construction accompanying a dwelling surrounded by a gantry on three sides. The Fresques preserved on its walls depict according to the archeologist Arthur Miller, a series of supernatural beings living in the inframonde (Xibalba), which during a few moments appear between the darkness and the light. These frescos constitute one of the pictorial testimonys most important of the Maya period with those of Bonampak and San Bartolo. The angles of the building are decorated remarkable engravings and sculptures, which one associates with Kukulcán, the god Plumed serpent of the Maya.

Other monuments

Put of mow columnas and Casa del Halach Uinik They are located in the sector of the principal roadway and constitute interesting examples of the residential architecture of Tulum.

Put LED cénote The Cénotes are natural fresh water wells, resurgence of the ground water of the Péninsule of Yucatan. For the Mayas these sites was crowned because not only they brought an essential source of life: water, but they were also main doors towards Chibalba (the inframonde). Tulum has, in the North of the site, a cénote which was protected by a whole of constructions joined with the defensive wall. What shows its importance of it.

Together of Kukulcán Located just at the North of Castillo, it includes/understands various minor structures, of which most notable is the Temple of God of the wind. It was called thus because of its base rounded traditionally attached to Kukulcán, God of the winds or with Ehécatl (God Aztèque of the wind).

Stele 1 Traditional Maya stele carrying inscriptions of which a date corresponding to the year 564 after J-C.

Structure 59 Monument comprising of the elements stylistics characteristic of the Maya period of the old Traditional (400 to 500 after J-C.).

Beach One will observe the small bay which easily made it possible to reach the sea for all the boats intended for fishing and the trade.

Information on the site

The archeological site of Tulum is located at 3 km of a small town of the same name. Environment quiet and is slackened there. Even if Tulum belongs to the tourist unit called Riviera Maya, this village knew to preserve exponential urbanization of Playa del Carmen (located at 55 km) or of Cancún (130 km). The town of Tulum develops a hotel zone but in a spirit much more respectful of nature and Sustainable development.

The site has a superb beach below Castillo, which one reaches easily by a beautiful staircase out of wooden. After having traversed the ruins in heavy heat it is very pleasant to be offered one moment of cooling and recreation in the waves of the Caribbean Sea.

The tariff of the ticket of entry is of 45 Peso S and the site is open 365 days per annum of 8:00 to 19:00 in summer and 8:00 to 17:00 in winter. A supervised and paying parking is at the entry of the site. At this place a retail park sheltering of the souvenir shops and the snack bars bars was developed. A folk group organizes an impressive traditional spectacle of stunt-flying of the State of Veracruz, called the “Voladores de Papantla”. The access path enters the entry of the site and the entry of the ruins makes meadows of 1 km. There exists a small train making the shuttles for the sum of 20 pesos return ticket.

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