Chacchoben
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Chacchoben (chak-CHO-ben; Maya for "the place of red corn") is the name of a Mayan ruin approximately 110 mi (177 km) south of Tulum and 7 mi (11 km) from the village from which it derives its name.
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[edit] History
Settlement by the Maya at the site is estimated at 200 BC, and the structures date from 700 AD.
[edit] Modern discovery
In the 1940s a farm was established near the site by the Cohuo family, but the ruins were officially reported to the Mexican government in June of 1972 by Dr. Peter Harrison, an American archaeologist.
[edit] Restoration
In 1994 the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) excavated and restored the site, which was closed to the public until 2002.
[edit] Chacchoben Today
Visitors to the site today walk a circular path that includes three excavated and restored pyramids, as well as many walls and staircases. Excavation is continuing on several mounds which are known to contain further buildings. Some structures still bear traces of the red paint with which they were originally coated, and INAH has set up shaded areas to prevent further degradation of this pigment by the sun. Also notable at the base of the largest pyramid is a large stone slab called a stela with a Mayan hieroglyphic inscription. Chacchoben is one of the more popular ruin sites in southern Quintana Roo, with regular tourist trips from the port of Costa Maya.
[edit] External links
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