| KOHUNLICH About
the place and its name: The site is located in lomerío of cobrush (palms),
species very characteristic of the south of the Yucatan Peninsula and the Petén
beliceño and Guatemalan. It must his name indeed to this geographic characteristic,
because Kohunlich comes from the English Cohoonridge (corozal or lomerío
of cobrush), that was the name of an old located lumber camping in the zone towards
years twenty or thirty of the present century. When Raymond Merwin was visited
for the first time in 1912 by the North American archaeologist, Clarksville was
called to him, in reference to the name of another camping that worked in the
environs of the site.
Direction
and routes of access: It is located 69 kilometers to the west of the city
of Chetumal, State Capital. It is acceded to the site through federal highway
186 Chetumal - Escárcega; when arriving at the kilometer 60, that Villa
corresponds to the town of Francisco, the deviation must be taken from 9 kilometers
that leads directly to the site.
Brief
history of the site: The pre-Hispanic city is located in Mayan low territories
of the south, in a zone in which it is possible to recognize the presence of certain
bonds with other regions of the Mayan world, particularly of the Guatemalan Petén
and Bec River, in Logwood. But Kohunlich does not suppose the mixture of diverse
influences simply, but that shows an own style, as much in the architecture as
in the iconography and the production of ceramics. The site would have been based
towards 200 a.n.e., when some rubblework platforms were constructed in the area
of the Yáaxná set, oldest of the establishment. Later, and until
the last part of the classic one early (approx 500 - 600 d.c.), time which the
site seems to have turned a city of certain importance, is constructed to the
Temple of the Large masks, structure ornamented originally with eight stucco large
masks (of which five are only conserved), considered as one of the finished samples
more of the Mayan iconography of that time. The symbolic message of these large
masks is very complex and has given foot to numerous interpretations, having itself
turned, also, in one of the images most characteristic of the present one. During
this period they are constructed, also, the three main temples of the Yáaxná
Set. In classic the delayed one (600 - 900 d.c.) when Kohunlich becomes an enormous
establishment and when most of the structures is constructed that today can be
seen, like those of the Seat of the Wakes, considered the center of the site during
this time, as well as the 27 steps and the Set Are above, two residential complexes
of elite. The growth of the city continues towards the classic terminal (approx
900 - 1000 d.c.) and still in the early posclásico (1000-1200 d.c.); nevertheless,
after 1200 d.c. stops the productive activity and the population seems to disperse
in the surroundings of the site, reusing like house some of the old ritual buildings,
already in ruins, as well as the central areas of the old seats. The presence
of these settlers has only been able to document itself through offerings deposited
on the landslide of some buildings.
After
the Spanish conquest, the region was vacated almost totally, only being occupied
by some fugitives of the colonial dominion. Centuries later, towards end of century
XIX and principles of the XX, began to settle down diverse lumber and chicleros
campings, between which he was the one that Merwin visited principle of the century.
Main structures: The site is
conformed by a series of architectonic sets of ceremonial and residential character,
some of which could have worked like districts or familiar groups of high level.
At the moment, the route begins in the Residential Complex associate to the Acropolis,
where it can be observed an interesting set of equipped residential buildings
with sidewalks, niches and diverse elements associated to the daily life. Although
the recent findings made in the Yáaxná Set have modified the idea
that until recently time was had on the early occupation of Kohunlich, must be
said that the building of greater ritual symbolic importance and is, of course,
the Temple of the Large masks, of which it was spoken above; within the group
of the structures of high rank, also they must be included to those of the Seat
of the Wakes (the Palace of the Wakes, the Gradería and the King), to the
interior of which public or administrative activities were possibly carried out.
The Acropolis, another one of the great sets of the site, also belongs to the
residential buildings of high level. Of smaller rank, although of smaller interest
not to be perhaps of administrative function, they are the buildings of the Merwin
Seat, where some excellent examples of the own architectonic style of the site
can be appraised. Still more simple they are the platforms or "routes"
of the located residential set to the west of the Merwin Seat; the great recovered
amount of undone of stature during the excavation of these buildings, allows to
suppose that their inhabitants were dedicated craftsmen to make pedernal tools.
In Kohunlich also a series of residential buildings has been excavated, that would
have been occupied by the governing elite of the site; most important they are
the corresponding ones to the sets known like 27 Escalones and Pixáan,
the last one of which still one is in exploration process. In both one has excavated
a complex system of palaces and residential structures, to the interior of which
diverse personages of high rank were buried. Throughout the route, that visits
the site will be able, therefore, to know a city complete, in which also it is
possible to observe a complex system of canalization of the rainwater towards
the watered down one, of apparent artificial construction. The visit to the diverse
structures allows, also, to recognize the development of the architectonic styles
of the site, from the "moldings in apron" Petén type of the Temple
of the Large masks, to the columns absorbed in the walls that remember to those
of the neighboring region Bec River and which they can be appraised in a good
number of buildings. The unique character of structures like the Acropolis, with
its diverse constructive stages, and rubblework the technical finished one of
the palaces, distinguishing characteristics of Kohunlich, complement the architectonic
count that can here become.
General
performances: The visit to Kohunlich is from enormous didactic interest due
to the enormous variety of buildings that are conserved within the area opened
to the visit. One has become, at the same time, a refuge of an important amount
of birds, reptiles and mammals that have found protection within the limits of
the site. The quota of $20,00 access is of and the schedule of visit from 08:00
to 17:00 hours of Monday to Sunday.
Services
that are offered: The site counts on a unit of services with parking, toilets
and an area for the ticket expedition. In the city of Chetumal the services of
certified guides can be contracted, who offer their services during the hours
of visit. |
