Palenque

The magnificent pyramid - The Temple of Inscriptions - is the tallest building and most prominent building in the Palenque complex. Constructed on eight levels, it has a central staircase rising some 23 meters to a temple which crowns the structure; it once had a tall roofcomb as well. Between the doorways are stucco panels with reliefs of noble figures. On the temples rear wall are three panels with a long inscription in Mayan hieroglyphs which gives the temple its name. The inscription, dated in 620 AD, recounts the history of Palenque and of the temple.

Ascend the 69 steep steps to the top for access to stairs down to the tomb of Pakal. This crypt lay undiscovered until 1952 when it was discovered by Alberto Ruz Lhuillier.

Although Pakal's jewel-bedecked skeleton and jade mosaic death mask were taken to Mexico City and the tomb recreated in the Museo Nacional de Anthrpologia, the stone sarcophagus lid remains here. (The priceless death mask was stolen from the Mexico City museum in 1985.) The carved stone slab protecting the sarcophagus includes the image of Pakal encircled by serpents, mythical monsters, the sun god and glyphs recounting Pakal's reign. Carved on the wall are nine lords of the underworld. Between the crypt and the staircase, a snake-like hollow ventilation tube connected Pakal to the realm of the living.

This is a view from the "Temple of Inscriptions" looking to the North at what is called the "Northern Group" - many smaller structures yet to be excavated. What you see here are three smaller and older temples of the Pre-Classic period of Palenque. Note the heavy jungle foliage.

This structure is called "The Palace." Diagonally opposite the Temple of Inscriptions, an unusual structure harboring a maze of courtyards, corridors and rooms. If you were to walk up to the tower, you will see fine stucco reliefs on the walls.

Archaeologists and astronomers believe that the tower was constructed so that Mayan royalty and the priest class could observe the sun falling directly into the Temple of the Inscriptions during the 22 December winter solstice.

Shown here is the author standing at the top of the Temple of the Inscriptions with the Palace and Northern Group in the background.