The royal tomb
Rare preserved plaster on the Acropolis stair.
Bernard DUPONT — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bernard DUPONT — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bernard DUPONT — CC BY-SA 2.0 · AlisonRuthHughes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AlisonRuthHughes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AlisonRuthHughes — CC BY-SA 4.0
Ek Balam is a Maya archaeological site in the municipality of Temozón in Yucatán, once the seat of a Maya kingdom that began before the Classic period. It is best known for the rarely preserved plaster on the tomb of King Ukit Kan Lek Tok, buried in the side of the largest pyramid in the city. The site was occupied for many centuries and reached its height between 770 and 840 CE. Its population then fell to a tenth of what it had been, and the city slowly emptied. A Spanish report from the late sixteenth century mentions it, assigning it to a kingdom called Talol. There are 45 structures inside defensive walls. You enter under an arch standing on four legs, then pass the Oval Palace, the building called The Twins with its two mirrored temples, and a ballcourt completed in 841. To the north rises the Acropolis, the largest building, and on its broad stair lies the tomb with its plaster decoration. The site is 23.5 km in a straight line north of Valladolid, an easy half-day trip from there. Many visitors report that climbing the Acropolis is still allowed, but the stair is steep and uneven and the rules can change, so ask at the entrance. Start early to avoid the heat, and bring water and a hat.
Rare preserved plaster on the Acropolis stair.
An arch on four legs over the old road.
A building topped by two mirrored temples.
Temozón municipality, Yucatán state
Many visitors report that it is still allowed, but the stair is steep and the rules can change, so ask at the entrance.
About two to three hours covers the main buildings.