Tour Description
Tulum and its name: Tulum's greatest
attraction is its location. It stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking
out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular. In Maya, Tulum
means "Wall", and the city was christened thus because it is a walled
city; one of the very few the ancients ever built. Research suggests it was
formerly called Zama or "to dawn" in its day, which is
appropriate given the location. It seems "Tulum" is the name given
the site following a visit by the explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841,
just before the beginning of the Caste War in 1847, long after the city was
abandon and fell to ruins. They ordered trees cleared and Catherwood made
illustrations of temples, later to be published in their famous book
"Incidents of Travel in Yucatan". Juan José Gálvez is actually
credited with Tulum's rediscovery in 1840.
Brief history of the site The earliest date lifted
from the site is A.D. 564 (the inscription on a stele) This places Tulum within
the Classic period, though we know that its heyday was much later (1200 - 1521
A.D.) during the Late Post-classic period. Tulum was a major link in the Maya's
extensive trade network. Both maritime and land routes converged here.
Artifacts found in or near the site testify to contacts that ranged from
Central Mexico to Central America and every place in between: copper rattles
and rings from the Mexican highlands; flint and ceramics from all over the
Yucatán; jade and obsidian from Guatemala and more. The first Europeans to see
Tulum were probably Juan de Grijalva and his men as they sailed reconnaissance
along the Eastern coast of Yucatán; in 1518. The Spaniards later returned to
conquer the Peninsula unwittingly bringing Old World diseases which decimated
the native population. And so Tulum, like so many cities before it, was
abandoned to the elements.
Principal structures When visitors arrive at Tulum's ancient
pre-hispanic site they are able to see the buildings that in its time were the
city's main center (ceremonial and political), monumentally encircled by the
Mayan world's best known wall. Around this wall, in an area that at the present
time can't be visited, there were a vast number of wooden and palm houses.
Nowadays virtually no evidence of these houses exists.
City square The square at the center of the city was
probably once used for rituals or ceremonies and is flanked by the so called Castillo
(The Castle) to the West. The Castillo, sometimes referred to as the
lighthouse, is the tallest building at Tulum and the most famous. It stands on
the above mentioned bluff, commanding a view of the ocean and coast for miles
in both directions. The structure underwent several stages of building and the
lintels of its upper rooms are carved with the plumed serpent motif. The rooms
themselves are vaulted in classic Mayan style.
Temple of the Descending God This is another
interesting structure. On the façade is a figure sculpted head down, and the
walls inside show traces of the original pigments applied by the Maya. The
descending figure is thought to represent a deity and Tulum appears to have
been the center of his cult. The
Temple of the Initial Series façade bears several stucco figures and the
earliest date found at Tulum came from a stele in the inner sanctum. Also
important are the Temple of the Frescos which is filled with murals, now mostly
erased by time and the elements. The temple shows traces of several building
styles. The House of the Columns is more complex than most structures at the
site and worth examining. It's a palace-like structure with four rooms whose
principal entrance faces South. Six columns support the roof of the main room
and there's also a roofed sanctuary. With the exception of its Eastern flank,
which is open to the sea, Tulum is completely encircled by a low wall.
Watchtowers rise from the 2 corners of its Western flank and within each tower
is an altar. A tiny cove nestles at the foot of the cliffs, with its apron of
snow white sand. This caleta was where the trading canoes would slip ashore.
The Kukulcán group Located just to the North of El Castillo,
the Kukulcán Group, is formed by several minor structures. Being the most
outstanding the Templo del Dios del Viento (Temple of the God of the Wind) is
named after its round base. Traditionally related to Kukulcán is the God
of the Wind Ehécatl from Central Mexico.
The beach It is appropriate to emphasize the
importance of the beach area, where it is certain that the Mayan ships,
dedicated to trade around the peninsula, would have docked. At the present time
it is the most visited area of the archaeological site.
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