{"id":2419,"date":"2019-04-28T15:57:47","date_gmt":"2019-04-28T20:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/?p=2419"},"modified":"2022-10-07T02:14:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-07T02:14:11","slug":"xcambo-mayan-archaeological-site-in-yucatan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/xcambo-mayan-archaeological-site-in-yucatan\/","title":{"rendered":"Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site in Yucat\u00e1n"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Xcambo-Logo-1024x469.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2035\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site is located about 50 minutes from the City of Merida. This was an important trading city that specialized in salt production that was exported throughout the <a aria-label=\"Mayan Peninsula (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayan Peninsula<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The name of Xcamb\u00f3 comes from the Maya meaning Celestial Crocodile or Place where barter is carried out, for the history and the vestiges that have been found in this site, the most probable thing is that the real meaning is Place where barter is carried out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Xcamb\u00f3 there\u2019s the main square where the largest buildings are located. In this Mayan archaeological site, just like in <a href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/dzibilchaltun-archaeological-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Dzibilchaltun (opens in a new tab)\">Dzibilchaltun<\/a>, you\u2019ll find a chapel that was built inside the site. This chapel or temple was built in the last century and was dedicated to the virgin that according to the Christian natives only appeared to the people who believed in her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On both east and west of the main plaza, there are other plazas that were a residential area. Today you can see the vestiges in the form of foundations with low walls and platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe style=\"width:100%; height:400px;\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/360\/xcambo\/plaza-central-xcambo.html\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interesting Facts about Xcamb\u00f3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Xcamb\u00f3 was the most important salt mine of the Mayan Peninsula.<\/li><li>The name Xcamb\u00f3 comes from the Maya meaning Celestial Crocodile or Place where barter is done.<\/li><li>This Mayan City was inhabited from 350 BCE until the Terminal Classic Period (830 &#8211; 950).<\/li><li>It has dimensions of 700 m East-West and 150 m North-South.<\/li><li>There&#8217;s a new Temple built inside the site dedicated to the Virgin.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"2291\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Templo-de-la-Virgen-en-Xcambo-por-dentro-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Inside the Temple of the Virgin in Xcambo\" class=\"wp-image-2291\"\/><figcaption>Inside the Temple of the Virgin in Xcambo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"2201\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/coloradas.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2201\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"2341\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Piramide-de-los-Sacrificios-y-lado-Oeste-de-la-Plaza-Principal-en-Xcambo-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2341\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Xcamb\u00f3 admission, open hours and general information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Xcamb\u00f3 is <strong>open daily<\/strong> from 8 am to 4 pm.<\/li><li>Xcamb\u00f3 <strong>General Admission<\/strong> 2019: $75 MXN.<\/li><li><strong>Free admission<\/strong> for Mexican Citizens on Sundays, and every day for Mexican Citizens with the following valid IDs: Older than 60 years, retired, pensioned, teachers, students, children under 13 and handicapped.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best time to visit Xcamb\u00f3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site is not very popular among tourists like <a aria-label=\"Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1 (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/chichen-itza\" target=\"_blank\">Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1<\/a> or <a aria-label=\"Tul\u00fam (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/tulum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tul\u00fam<\/a>, but these this information can also help: The months with fewer crowds are May \u2013 June, and September &#8211; October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The perfect month to visit this archeological site because of the good weather and fewer tourists is May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best time during the day is between 8 and 11 am, and if you\u2019re not an early bird, you can get there between 2 and 3 pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Estimated tour time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Relax<\/strong>: You can walk around the residential area and the main plaza in less than an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tourist<\/strong>: If you want to see everything, stopping only to take pictures at ground level and on top of the pyramids, it may take around 1 hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Archeologist<\/strong>: If you already read about Xcamb\u00f3&#8217;s history and its buildings, you might want to really explore the architecture and engravings around the monuments, the main plaza, both east and west plazas, and even stop on your way back to explore the other buildings.<br>This may take around 2 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommendations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Wear comfortable shoes You may wear sandals, but it\u2019s best to take your hiking or tennis shoes. The pathways are a bit uneven unpaved, also you\u2019ll have to keep an eye out for errant rocks and sticks.\u200b<\/li><li>Protect yourself from harmful UV rays You may find some shades under the trees, but most of the time, you will be under direct sunlight, so make sure to use sunscreen, a hat, and it may also be a good idea to take an umbrella with you.<\/li><li>Take what you may need like water, snacks and anything else because there are no stores near Xcamb\u00f3.<\/li><li>Visit the salt mines of Xtamp\u00fa on your way to Xcamb\u00f3, or on your way back.<\/li><li>Bring cash.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get to Xcamb\u00f3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Costal route from Merida<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The coastal route uses the M\u00e9rida &#8211; Progreso highway (Mexico Highway 261 and YUC 27). From here you can see the emerald blue sea in some parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s 65 km from M\u00e9rida and you can get there in less than one hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Inland route from Merida <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The inland route uses the Motul highway (Mexico 176). From here you go in almost a straight line, but the time is practically the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s 60 km from M\u00e9rida and you can get there in approximately 50 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d476337.7423028342!2d-89.79562774647182!3d21.135326101861654!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8f54325b85f71bb7%3A0x142ef10d4ba52712!2sZona+Arqueol%C3%B3gica+de+Xcambo!5e0!3m2!1ses-419!2smx!4v1555631455778!5m2!1ses-419!2smx\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The relationship of Xcamb\u00f3 with other Mayan cities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Yucatan Peninsula, especially in the north, there seems to be homogeneity in both ceramic materials and architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Xcamb\u00f3 was not the exception as there are walkways that connect it directly with two other sites: Misnay, agricultural center 1280 m south, which was a supplier of labor and other resources that were scarce in Xcamb\u00f3. It also played a role as a point of contact with the major interior sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another of these roads seems to have communicated with the city of <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/DwWcYfeGYGeystkB9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Dzemul (opens in a new tab)\">Dzemul<\/a>, an important area that supported Xcamb\u00f3, perhaps more important than Misnay. It was also an intermediary of other larger communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Xcamb\u00f3 Timeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site Timeline can give us an idea of the time it was inhabited and the influence it received by other <a aria-label=\"Mayan cities (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/mayan-peninsula-archaeological-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayan cities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Late Preclassic Period (350 BCE &#8211; 250)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the northern coast of Yucatan and the rest of the peninsula, there were already numerous indications of settlements of various magnitudes and degrees of organization, but in general, they shared the same style in the construction of their public and housing buildings, but above all, use of the same ceramic groups was established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Early Classic Period (250 &#8211; 550)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Xcamb\u00f3 was erected as a commercial port and its function consisted in the administration of salt and marine products, as well as being the center for the gathering of local, regional and supra-regional goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Middle Classic Period (550 &#8211; 830)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The archaeological site of Xcamb\u00f3 was standardized with the use of architecture based on rough rectangular blocks and flat slabs. It was necessary to apply a thick stucco plaster to hide the imperfections of the walls, which was done in a similar way in the post-classic period (1000 &#8211; 1450).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Late Classic Period (830 &#8211; 950) and Terminal (830 &#8211; 950)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During these periods the number of coastal sites increased, some of which were densely populated. Thus, in the central part of the northern coast, sites such as La Providencia and Xcamb\u00f3 emerge as major centers of salt production, where Xcamb\u00f3 must have been the most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Xcamb\u00f3 in the present time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This ancient Mayan city is still seen today as a place of pilgrimage and worship but not by any Mayan belief, but a Catholic one, the virgin of Xcamb\u00f3. <br>According to tradition, the Chapel of the Virgin has been on the site for more than 50 years, it has been venerated ever since in this chapel on pre-Hispanic buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Read more about Xcamb\u00f3 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/xcambo-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\">Read more about Xcamb\u00f3&#8217;s Timeline<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Xcambo\u00b4s population and housing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To the east of the Main Square, both the layout of the buildings and their shapes are a little bit different. This sector was completely leveled with large basements so they could build the houses on them, but with walls and ceilings of perishable materials. The houses in this sector were more modest and were not as abundant as those on the opposite side. Probably the large spaces without constructions were used for outdoor work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In both the East and West sectors, foundations were built on only one or two dwellings of nuclear families were built and possibly with fewer resources. These were separated with a sort of alleys to communicate with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Storage and production of salt in Xcamb\u00f3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Salinas-Xcambo-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2307\" width=\"262\" height=\"145\"\/><figcaption>Salt mines near Xcamb\u00f3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Xcamb\u00f3 was involved in the important economic role that was played in that strategic point of the peninsula, where the main interest was focused on the exploitation of salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s very obvious the importance of the salt economy on the northern coast of the Mayan Peninsula, which surely provoked a hard competition to get control of this city, being exploited continuously from before our common era to the present, although under the control of different major Mayan cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/storage-production-salt-xcambo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Read more about Storage and production of salt in Xcamb\u00f3 form here. (opens in a new tab)\">Read more about Storage and production of salt in Xcamb\u00f3 form here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Xcamb\u00f3 Architecture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">East Plaza<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Plaza-Este-en-Xcambo-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"East Plaza in Xcambo\" class=\"wp-image-2282\"\/><figcaption>East Plaza in Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the east of the Main Plaza, at a distance of 250 m, there are three public structures whose arrangement forms a small open plaza. These structures are not \u201cinside\u201d the main archaeological site. I would recommend you get there by car on your way back because it\u2019s located a few meters away from the same road you used to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">West Plaza<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Zonas-Habitacionales-en-Xcambo-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Zonas Habitacionales en Xcambo\" class=\"wp-image-2284\"\/><figcaption>West plaza in Xcamb\u00f3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To the west of the main plaza, there are other residences and areas of domestic activity where the rulers and other important people lived. These are foundations on which the masonry walls of the houses roofed with palms were built, located around small spaces in the form of lower patios or small contiguous quadrangles and generally joined by a common construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Pyramid of the Masks in Xcamb\u00f3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Pyramid-of-the-Masks-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Pyramid of the Masks in Xcambo\" class=\"wp-image-2280\"\/><figcaption>Pyramid of the Masks in Xcambo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The NE-23 Building, commonly known as the Pyramid of the Masks is the most recognized of the <a href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/xcambo-architecture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Xcamb\u00f3 Architecture (opens in a new tab)\">Xcamb\u00f3 Architecture<\/a>, it presents at least three construction periods and several renovations. In its final phase, it was entirely covered by several stepped bodies made of rough blocks of different sizes, and only one stairway was built on the main fa\u00e7ade made of megalithic blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The large plastered and painted masks represented the Celestial Monster which is composed of the opposing pair Venus and the Sun. As the morning star Venus guides the Sun out of the Underworld, it travels next to it until the sunset. The concept of this journey and its direction is implied by the position of the masks in the temple; this same design is present in contemporary sites such as <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"lzamal (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/nxWjiwCHPBAcudtbA\" target=\"_blank\">lzamal<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.yucatan.travel\/arqueologia\/acanceh?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Acanceh (opens in a new tab)\">Acanceh<\/a> and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Dzibilchalt\u00fan (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/dzibilchaltun-archaeological-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">Dzibilchalt\u00fan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/xcambo-architecture\/\" target=\"_blank\">More about the Pyramid of the Masks.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">The Temple of the Virgin of Xcamb\u00f3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Virgin-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Temple of the Virgin in Xcambo\" class=\"wp-image-2293\"\/><figcaption>Temple of the Virgin in Xcambo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Temple of the Virgin in Xcamb\u00f3 is obviously not part of the original Xcamb\u00f3 Architecture, but it\u2019s now an important building among natives and visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was built in the middle of the last century on top of a Mayan construction. This is due to the tradition of the people of the town of Dzemul, name of the town where Xcamb\u00f3 is found, which says that since ancient times there has been a belief that among the ancient Mayan buildings lives a Virgin who only appears before those who have faith. For many of his devotees, she is the true owner of the archaeological zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/xcambo-architecture\/\" target=\"_blank\">More about the Temple of the Virgin.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/xcambo\" style=\"background-color:#7a6a17\">Visual version of Xcamb\u00f3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Xcamb\u00f3 Archaeological Site is located about 50 minutes from the City of Merida. This was an important trading city that specialized in salt production that was exported throughout the Mayan Peninsula. The name of Xcamb\u00f3 comes from the Maya meaning Celestial Crocodile or Place where barter is carried out, for the history and the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-xcambo-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2419"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4542,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions\/4542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayanpeninsula.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}