Archive for the ‘Ruins of The Americas’

  • Caracol … Place of Three Hills
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    Caracol … Place of Three Hills
    If all Belize Mayan sites have to be ranked for there importance and grandeur then Caracol would be placed on top of the list. Caracol, or El Caracol as it is locally known lies in the foothills of Maya Mountains at an altitude of 1,500 feet. The city is surrounded by dense forest and lies on the Vaca Plateau. Caracol is one of the largest ancient Maya cities and covers an area of 65 square miles and at its peak had a population of over 2,00,000 people. Mayan settlers moved to Caracol around 1200 BC but the bulk of construction happened in between 300 AD and 800 AD. Archeologists have significant proof that the city attacked and conquered Tikal in 562 AD. Later the city also conquered Naranjo in AD 631. These two conquests boosted the military and economic might of the city and propelled population grown in the region. The main structure  [...]
    Posted at May 22nd, 2009 at 01:05 am
  • Altun Ha Ruins of Belize
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    Altun Ha Ruins of Belize
    Altun Ha which means Rockstone Pond has been a settlement since 250 BC and is an hour by road for Belize City. It gets its name from the neighboring village of Rockstone Pond. Construction of the main buildings started in the city around 100 AD and continued till the 10th century. It is believed that there was mass looting in Altun Ha in the year 900 AD and it was a form of revolt against the ruler of the city. The city has an area of around 5 square miles. The main structures in the city are the two central plazas which are surrounded by towering temples. At its peak the city was inhabited by over 10,000 inhabitants and was an important trading centre in the region. The largest pyramid in The Temple of the Masonry Altars and has a height of 54 feet. It is thought to have been the focal point of the community’s religious activities  [...]
    Posted at May 21st, 2009 at 05:05 pm
  • Lamanai….. City of Crocodiles
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    Lamanai….. City of Crocodiles
    Located on the banks for the New River Lagoon is the ancient ceremonial centre of Lamanai. The impressive Mayan ruins are the largest in Belize and the English translation of Lamanai means submerged crocodile. The city has one of the longest occupation span amongst all Mayan cities lasting over 3,000 years. The city is well engulfed by the forest and one has to climb on top of the temple pyramids to actually get a real picture of the surrounding landscape. Lamanai is also amongst the very few Mayan cities where the archeologists have uncovered the original name. It is believed that the occupation of the city started in 1500 BC, but the majority of the city construction started around 4th century BC and the Mayan’s occupied the city till 1600 AD. At its peak more then 35,000 Mayan’s lived in the city. Today much of the city remains  [...]
    Posted at May 21st, 2009 at 08:05 am
  • Uxmal…. City That Was Built Three Times
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    Uxmal…. City That Was Built Three Times
    Uxmal is a large pre-Columbian city of Maya Civilization in Yucatan, Mexico. It is located at a distance of 78 kilometers from Merida. Archeologists have come out with a census that the city was first inhabited as early as 800 BC. The city was abandoned in 1450 AD after the Toltec’s rose to power and established their capital in Chichen Itza. The city at its peak was inhabited by over 30,000 people and most of the buildings in the site were constructed between 700 AD and 1100 AD. The main ruins of Uxmal are spread over an area of 150 acres and the residential district spread beyond the main ruins. Unlike other cities in the region which were build in proximity of cenotes, Uxmal is rather unusual. There are many man-made reservoirs and were probably used for storing rain water, one of such cisterns is located just near the entrance  [...]
    Posted at May 21st, 2009 at 12:05 am
  • Chichen Itza
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    Chichen Itza
    Chichen Itza which means ‘At the mouth of the well of Itza’ is one of the most visited pre-Columbian archaeological sites in the Yucatan Peninsular in Mexico. It was one of the key cities and the focal point of the Mayan Civilization. Sometimes Chichen Itza is also referred in the ancient archives as Uucyabnal which means ‘Seven Great Rulers’. The site contains many buildings including temples, palaces, stages, markets, baths, and ballcourts. In the heart of Chichen is the El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan. It is a step pyramid and has stairways on all four sides. During spring and autumn equinox the rising and the setting sun the structure casts a shadow in the shape of a plumed serpent. One can see the entire archeological site after climbing to the top of the pyramid. Much of the site is still engulfed in the forest  [...]
    Posted at May 20th, 2009 at 06:05 pm
  • Calakmul…. The City Of The Two Adjacent Pyramids
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    Calakmul…. The City Of The Two Adjacent Pyramids
    Calakmul is probably the largest Mayan city ever uncovered till now and is located in the Mexican state of Campeche. At its might the city was a Mayan superpower in the region of Peten and Yucatan. Archeologists have discovered 6,750 ancient structures in Calakum and are spread over an area of 70 square kilometers. The city at its peak equaled the power of Tikal and a lot is being known about the Mayan culture and its power from the deciphered Stelae and Murals that have been found in the city. The city grew from a small settlement around 500 AD. Most the great constructions happened between 550 AD and 700 AD. The end of the city was abrupt and is said to be in 810 AD. The city also is home to the largest Mayan pyramid. The Great Pyramid is 55 meters high with an area of two square kilometers and has four tombs inside it.  The Great  [...]
    Posted at May 19th, 2009 at 12:05 am
  • Teotihuacan… Where Men Become Gods
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    Teotihuacan… Where Men Become Gods
    The mysterious city is located 30 miles north of Mexico City and at its peak around 600 AD it was the sixth largest city in the world. The archeologists have found that the city was far more advanced than any European city of its time. At its peak it is believed that the city had a population of over 250,000 people. The biggest mystery about the city is its history, culture and about the inhabitants. The city was later occupied by Toltec’s and later by Aztec’s who believed that the city was the origin of the Universe. Teotihuacan’s decline was almost as rapid as its rise to prominence. The city has a broad central avenue which is often referred as “Avenue of the Dead”.  The central avenue is flanked by Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest Pyramid in the  [...]
    Posted at May 17th, 2009 at 12:05 am
  • Tikal…Place Of The Remembered Voices
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    Tikal…Place Of The Remembered Voices
    The city is the largest known city of the Mayan Civilization and is located in Northern Guatemala. It was one of the major cultural and population centers and is also the largest excavated site in the Americas. The city remained a mystery for centuries after it was abandoned by the Maya in the 10th century and the city was lost in the jungles. The city consists of thousands of ancient structures and decades of archaeological work only a fraction has been excavated. The Mayan civilization created magnificent temples and excelled in the arts, astronomy and culture.The main surviving buildings in the city are the six large Mesoamerican step pyramids. One gets to enjoy the panoramic views of the city from the top of the pyramids. These pyramids are over 60 meters in height and support a temple structure on the top. Temple of the Great  [...]
    Posted at May 14th, 2009 at 10:05 am
  • The Lost City of the Incas… Machu Picchu
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    The Lost City of the Incas… Machu Picchu
    A city built in the classical Inca style, which bring to life the heritage and the past of the Inca civilization. The city is an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization. The lost city is located at an altitude of 2,430 meters on the ridge of the mount Machu Picchu in the Andes mountain range in Peru. One get astonished with the quality of architecture in the city with blocks of stones cut in precise shapes to fit in to form structures without mortar. It is this quality of mason work that has made this city to stand the testament of time. There has always been a question mark on how the Incas moved enormous blocks of stones on such inclined slops of the mountain to reach the city. There are about 140 structures including residence blocks, Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, the Room of  [...]
    Posted at May 13th, 2009 at 09:05 pm
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