When I went to the state and city of Campeche in the summer of 2011 (I know, I've waited quite some time to make an entry on this particular site!), one of the highlights of my first visit to this area was the archaeological site of Edzna. One of the lesser known, but ultimately fabulous Maya sites of the Yucatan peninsula, Edzna was occupied as early as 600 BCE. The major acropolis seen here did not come into existence until the Early Classic period (200-600 CE). Inscriptions at the bottom of this main temple-pyramid have a date of 652 CE. This structure has five stories and is unique to Edzna, showing influences and connections to Puuc sites even though Edzna is outside of the Puuc region. The building had five different construction phases beginning in the Early Classic. It is truly a beautiful building! And it adds such a felt presence, a significance to the site. It is probably one of my favorite buildings that I have ever seen! The name 'Edzna' comes from "House of the Itza," therefore it suggests a connection to the Itza family ('naj' in Yucatec Maya is 'house' or 'building'). Edzna is not a big site and I think I was here (with a tourist group) for about an hour and a half. The humidity was nearly unbearable and this site has the most aggressive and huge mosquitoes that I have ever seen! However, the trip was completely worth it! I love going to these lesser known sites!
Edzna is truly a beautiful archaeological site that many people (domestic and international tourists) do not know about. It is not that far from the capital city of Campeche, so it makes for a nice day trip if one is staying in Campeche. The many buildings near the central acropolis, the ceremonial precinct follow many architectural patterns of other Maya sites of the Yucatan. I had to include a picture of a ball-court at Edzna, a section of rocks that appears to be a miniature form of the sacbe or "white road" that linked different locations, and the fabulous stone masks found in the "Temple of the Stone Masks." These sculpted masks portray K'inich Ajaw, the sun god, as aged on one side and as youthful on the other. It has been suggested that this difference represents the rising sun and the setting sun.
Leading away from the central area of Edzna is a long thoroughfare of forested paths that lead to a pyramid-temple that has not, for the most part, been excavated. It was interesting walking all by myself down this path which took me about 10 minutes before I arrived to this remote structure. It was blistering hot and humid that day; I could hardly see through the sweat continuously running down my face. I hope that these photos do the job, though; that is, parts of Edzna are verdant and still covered by the "wilderness" that surrounds the site. As I was by myself, I could easily contemplate the many lives that used to be here, the many peoples who walked down this very path (perhaps not as defined and landscaped as it is now). I truly enjoyed being here at Edzna!
And last, but not least, here are a few examples of the stelae that were re-discovered at the site. Significant monuments involving rituals and presence, the stelae were also commemorative markers for historical events and rulers. Initially believed by scholars to represent either gods or calendar-priests, the stelae in the Maya area actually portray historical rulers and record historical events. These particular stelae are found near the entrance (and exit) of Edzna, but I actually did not view them until I was leaving the site. As I was walking back to the parking lot after visiting Edzna's many edifices, a flash of colorful movement caught my eye. A ton of these bright butterflies were suddenly everywhere. I just had to take a few pictures of them as they ushered me out of Edzna.
