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<< Our Photo Pages >> Chicanná - Ancient Village or Settlement in Mexico in Campeche

Submitted by davidmorgan on Tuesday, 03 February 2009  Page Views: 5043

Multi-periodSite Name: Chicanná
Country: Mexico Region: Campeche Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Nearest Town: Xpujil
Latitude: 18.506900N  Longitude: 89.4862W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

jdeblois83 would like to visit

john_op_stap visited on 28th Jul 2004 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Just of the main road, can and should not be missed if in the area.

SolarMegalith visited on 1st Mar 2002 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

davidmorgan MelissaBWrite have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.5 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 4

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Structure XX - this is the highest building at Chicanná, its layout is almost quadrangular, composed of two levels and oriented towards the cardinal points. The lower section has eleven rooms and the upper part four. The principal facade is on the south side. The facade of the upper temple preserves the remains of the typical motif of the Chenes region: a complete, gigantic, zoomorphic mask. ... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Village or Settlement in Mexico.
Chicanná was built at the base of the Yucatán Peninsular. Its builders took advantage of a slight natural elevation to construct several groups of structures which served as rooms and enclosures for carrying out ritual ceremonies.

The ancient name of the site is not known. It was discovered in 1966 when it was given its present name, which no doubt refers to the facade of Structure II: chi, mouth; can, serpent; ná, house - House of the Serpent Mouth.
Due to its dimensions and the rich decoration of the buildings, it has been considered as a small elitist centre of Becán, that is, like a residential zone of the rulers of the ancient regional capital.
It had important commercial connections with other settlements as attested to by the presence of non-local materials found at the site: objects from the highlands of Guatemala and the region of Honduras. Most likely, many of these products were concentrated in Becán and distributed from there.
Evidence of occupation dates from the period known as the Late Pre-Classic (300 BCE to 250 CE), while the last stages of activity at the site have been dated to the Early Post-Classic (1100 CE).
Chicanná is one of the 45 sites located in the archaeological region known as Rio Bec. This category refers to the shape and decoration of the buildings, which together constitute the architectonic style. Consequently, it is common to find the presence of elongated buildings flanked by slender towers with rounded corners, as well as the enormous representation of Itzamná, principal god of the Maya pantheon, also known as the Earth Monster, on the facade of the lower construction.

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Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : The south facade of Structure XX. This site was a wonderful surprise for me, with its fantastic figures. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : The front of Structure I, seen from within the main plaza. The towers are typical Rio Bec style. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Structure II. This building closes the principal plaza to the east, the most important cardinal point in the Maya vision of the universe, as it alludes to the place where the sun, which was very much worshipped in ancient times, is reborn daily. It is built on a small artificially levelled area and has only one storey. Inside there are remains of eight rooms: three to front and five to the re... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Structure XI. This structure is found 100m south-west of the principal plaza and contains the foundations of twelve rooms. Its bad state of preservation is due fundamentally to the deficient construction techniques which existed in the period in which it was built. The pottery with which it is associated is roughly made. The architectonic and ceramic information have led specialists to conclud... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : The awe-inspiring entrance to Structure XX.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Aligned facing west, I had to wait until the sun had passed through its midday south cardinal point before I could get this photo at 12:40 with the slanting sunlight.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : A beautiful representation of the sacred monster Itzamná. The best I've seen.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Structure I. This imposing building closes the principal plaza of the site on the west side and is the best example of Rio Bec architecture at Chicanná. The central part of the single storey structure has six rooms arranged in two rows of three rooms each. As one can see it is flanked by two solid towers which remind one of the great pyramidal bases crowned by temples: symbol and synthesis of...

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by john_op_stap : Chicanná - 28/07/04 Chicanná : details from structure II, representing a traditional Maya house. Notice they mimic the leaves used for the thatched roof at the bottom. The fake window is intriguing, could have housed a statuette? Image copyright: john_op_stap (John Schelstraete), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by SolarMegalith : Estructura XX with ornaments in Rio Bec style (photo taken on March 2002).

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by karolus : Jaws of the "Earth Monster"

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by karolus : Site in Campeche Mexico

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by SolarMegalith : Chicanna is one of the most important sites with architecture representing Rio Bec style, which was developing from 7th to 12th century AD (photo taken on March 2002).

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Looking out of the monster's mouth onto the plaza at Chicanná.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : The lower teeth on Structure XX protrude a long way.

Chicanná
Chicanná submitted by davidmorgan : Site plan of Chicanná.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 2.4km ENE 67° Becan* Ancient Village or Settlement
 8.5km E 87° Xpuhil* Ancient Village or Settlement
 11.3km S 183° Hormiguero* Ancient Village or Settlement
 11.6km NE 37° Chactún.* Ancient Village or Settlement
 48.7km W 277° Balamkú* Ancient Village or Settlement
 55.0km SW 218° Calakmul* Ancient Village or Settlement
 74.0km E 97° Kohunlich* Ancient Village or Settlement
 76.9km ENE 79° Lamay* Ancient Village or Settlement
 77.7km ENE 77° Kinichná* Ancient Village or Settlement
 77.9km E 79° Dzibanche* Ancient Village or Settlement
 89.2km SW 217° Uxul.* Ancient Village or Settlement
 95.0km SE 139° Blue Creek Ancient Village or Settlement
 95.1km SE 138° Medicinal Trail Ancient Village or Settlement
 95.2km SSW 208° El Mirador* Ancient Village or Settlement
 98.7km SSW 202° Nakbe* Ancient Village or Settlement
 100.6km ESE 109° Noh Mul Pyramid* Pyramid / Mastaba
 104.7km NNW 343° Hochob* Ancient Village or Settlement
 106.9km S 175° San Bartolo* Ancient Village or Settlement
 111.3km S 171° Xultun Ancient Village or Settlement
 113.0km E 100° Aventura Ancient Village or Settlement
 114.8km NNW 344° Tabasqueno* Ancient Village or Settlement
 115.7km E 96° Santa Rita Corozal Ancient Village or Settlement
 119.8km N 355° Dzibilnocac* Ancient Village or Settlement
 121.5km SE 134° Lamanai Ancient Village or Settlement
 123.0km E 91° Noh Kah Ancient Village or Settlement
View more nearby sites and additional images

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"Chicanná" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Re: Chicanná by davidmorgan on Thursday, 05 February 2009
(User Info | Send a Message)
I hope I haven't overdone the image submissions here. It was such a wonderful site, and having the enormous structures of the main city just up the road at Becán was a treat.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Chicanná by Martin_L on Friday, 06 February 2009
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    Fine photos of a very interesting site.
    [ Reply to This ]
    Re: Chicanná by john_op_stap on Monday, 18 November 2013
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    You have not overdone it at all! The Itzamna facade is simply jaw dropping, you walk around the corner and... in your face! Is is so well preserved, the little detail is what makes it excel. More pictures for those who can not get enough.
    [ Reply to This ]

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