Places of Worship

Temple of the Descending God
(OCR'd directly from my guide book!)

This is on the north side of the inner precinct, and although there are many representations of the Descending God at Tulum, this is the only structure to bear his name. The temple stands on a flatroofed building that was filled in to serve as a base. A staircase leads up to the temple that has a single chamber and a bottle-shaped vault. Inside there are two benches along the sides and a small window opening in the rear wall. The building is topped by a roof crest in three parts, and over the doorway there is a niche containing a painted stucco figure of the winged god who seems to be descending from the sky. The temple formerly had mural paintings both on the main facade and on the southwest and northwest corners where there were religious scenes that included the gods of Rain, Corn and the Sun. There are also remains of mural painting inside. Some have been restored to show various deities making offerings in a setting that symbolizes the night sky, with Venus, the Sun and the stars combined with interlaced serpents.

Temple of the Descending God, shown in relation to The Castle

Built on a natural rise on the cliff north of the cove at Tulum, it stands on a circular platform similar to those found on other Mesoamerican archaeological sites, especially those in central Mexico. These platforms were provided for temples dedicated to Ehecatl, the god of Wind, one of the aspects of Quetzalcoatl. The building has a single room, with an entrance on the north side, and a vaulted roof where remains of stone sculpture were discovered.

The Tour

All photos © 1997 Scott Sakurai

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