CHINKULTIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL ZONE

HOW TO GET THERE

The state of Chiapas is located in the southeastern region of Mexico. It
shares its borders with the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Tabasco
as well as Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean. Tuxtla Gutierrez can be reach
by plane or by car. From Tuxtla Gutierrez, take Mexico 190 to Comitan de
Dominguez. Continue on for another twelve kilometers towards Ciudad
Cuauhtemoc until you come to the turnoff that will take you directly to
Chinkultic.

BACKGROUND

Chinkultic means "stepped well" in Maya. Its chronology is known thanks to
studies carried out on pottery found in an area of the ruins. Its period of
maximum development was reached during the Classical Period. Chinkultic was
first mentioned by the German scholar, Edward Seler, on visiting the ruins
at the end of the nineteenth century.

DESCRIPTION

Chinkultic can be faithfully described according to writings of researcher
Enrique Juan Palacios. While traveling around the region in 1926, he was
struck with the beauty and importance of the site. He wrote, "...difficult
to find another place as poetic and evoking: the solace of the area, the
divine reflection from the lake, the islands with high cliffs where herons
stoop, the dreamlike shores, the thick forests...A place of mystery! Life
from the remote past, pulsing vibrantly! One could say that it is
unexpectedly awakening..." The stone work done by the Mayas in Chinkultic
is extraordinary. An example of their fine work can be observed in the
magnificent cut stones of the Great Platform. The living area consisted of
some two hundred large and small mounds, grouped around six main complexes
that include the area of the so called Acropolis or Group A, the quadrangle
of Group B and Group C with its ball court and the Great Platform. The
famous cenote "Agua Azul" is fifty meters below. It is parallel to Temple 1
and the crags of Group A, which drop almost vertically in some spots.

ACTIVITIES

This is the perfect place for archaeology and camera buffs. There are some
spectacular views. It is also near several other points of interest: the
Lakes of Montebello and Cristobal Colon, the archaeological site of Tenam
Puente, and old haciendas dating back to the nineteenth century. All in
all, it is one of the most beautiful and historic regions of the state.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Wear shoes with non-slip soles because there is some climbing involved and
the path can be rocky.