Palenque – Day 2: Pakal’s Jungle City
PALENQUE
Day 2: Pakal's Jungle City
August 20, 2022
The following day, my travels would take me to the renowned ruins of Palenque. The colectivo I rode on – an ancient white toaster van chock-full of people – broke down three times along the way. Somehow, it managed to survive the trip, despite its door being unable to close – an innovative way to ventilate the vehicle, I must admit.
The second I got there, a swarm of tourist guides flocked around me, trying to see which one I’d choose. I felt just like a celebrity fending off paparazzi – all of them thinking that harassing me would get me to take them up on their offer. While I’d usually go for the oldest and most experienced, this time I chose the youngest (but most importantly, the cheapest). After having abused my monetary funds more than I should have, it was a concession I simply had to make. Luckily, Rico, a local guide with a few years of experience, proved to be a good pick.
The Ruins of Palenque
The city of Palenque, being the third-biggest Mayan settlement after Calakmul in Campeche and Tikal in Guatemala, covers approximately 2.5 square kilometres – although only around 2% of the ruins have been excavated so far. It was named Palenque, which means ‘wooden palisade’, by the Spaniards when they came across it in search of wood, owing to the dense jungle surrounding the area. Its original name, Lakam’ha, given by the Maya, actually meant “place of many waters”, in reference to the many rivers and waterfalls that in the region.
Many a Mayan civilisation faced its untimely demise because of droughts and water scarcity – a problem the people of Palenque certainly didn’t have. Throughout its history, the city of Palenque was involved in many wars and conflicts, with Tikal being a strong ally and Calakmul the worst offender. That said, the city’s decline was a direct consequence of its war against the city of Toniná.
The city was constructed back in 250 BC, with a succession of kings and queens ruling the land from 430 AD up to the end of the eighth century. Whilst female state-lords were a feature of Palenque’s dynasty, most were given male attributes. The city was brought to prominence during the reign of Kinich Janaab Pakal (Pakal I), who was revered as being the gods’ favourite and ruled the city for 68 years. Given that the average life expectancy of the Maya at the time was around fifty years, Pakal was considered a demigod by most, having lived until the age of eighty. This guy was practically the Mayan version of Ramesses II.
According to Rico, his son, Kinich Kan Balam II, was the person who came up with the number zero – a revolutionary concept that changed the face of mathematics. I was a bit sceptical about this, mostly cause I had read otherwise. That said, Palenque’s people had vast knowledge and other reputable skills which they used to their advantage – take the city’s drainage system, for instance. Running under the entire city is a complex water system using advanced hydraulic engineering principles to drain the complexes, with waste being used to fertilise the surrounding agricultural land. This drainage system also protected the Maya residing there from infectious diseases that were known to afflict other communities at the time.
Jungle City Tour
After the brief overview of the once-thriving city, Rico proceeded to show me around, starting our trail in the jungle. Whilst traversing through the dense foliage, one encounters many structures and residential areas, among which are a pelote court and the Bat Group of buildings, where the elite used to live.
At the largest plaza, one can’t help but remain in disbelief upon coming across the Palacio – a multi-level complex that was expanded and rebuilt over centuries, featuring multiple courtyards and a four-storey tower aligned with the four directions of the universe. This, according to Rico, was probably used as an observatory. Some of the courtyards were used by the rulers to greet important visitors and receive gifts, which would be placed upon large stone platforms. Others were used by warriors, where they either trained or, during times of peace, meditated.
Pakal's Stellar Legacy
The Temple of Inscriptions, a nine-tiered pyramid with stucco carvings on the exterior, is arguably the most important structure in terms of archaeological wealth. This is where Pakal the Great’s sarcophagus was buried, beneath a sealed passageway connecting the top of the temple to the ground. Pakal’s body was found adorned with a jade mask and necklace, and surrounded by sculptures and stucco reliefs.
The sarcophagus is intricately carved, showing Pakal dressed in the corn god’s attire, sitting comfortably on a large ceiba tree above a two-headed serpent. Around the lid are carvings representing the sun, the moon, and the planets. When viewed from the side – and with some imagination – the ceiba tree (which is known as the Tree of Life and is seen as a nexus connecting our world to the heavens and the underworld) can be interpreted as a spaceship, with Pakal riding on it, the planets on the edge of the lid symbolising his conquests. Some archaeologists even go so far as to suggest that this proves extra-terrestrial ties with the ancient Maya!
Next to the Temple of Inscriptions is another temple referred to as Temple XIII – or, more commonly, the Temple of the Red Queen – where the remains of a woman covered in cinnabar, a red pigment, were found. Though her identity remains unknown to this day, it is believed that she might have been Pakal’s wife. Adjacent to this is yet another temple, the Temple of the Skull, in which the tomb of another unidentified ruler was discovered.
Another notable complex is the Cross Group, thought to be the most important ritual space in Palenque. It consists of three temples, each showing depictions of Balam II in different ritual contexts, recounting the story of the creation of the universe, the birth of the gods, and their chronicles. The Temple of the Foliated Cross stands at the top of a small hill surrounded by jungle and is dedicated to K’awiil, protector of agriculture and the ruling dynasty. Then there’s the Temple of the Cross, which features the celestial Smoking God, and the Temple of the Sun, which boasts the most elaborate roof comb of all and is dedicated to K’inich Ajaw Pakal – or the Shield of the Lord of the Sun Face – so called after embodying the sun during its nightly voyage through Xibalba, a process aided by human sacrifice.
Wandering around the entire site, I was left in awe both at how impressive the constructions are and, more importantly, at how impressive the Mayans were. Surrounded by the florid, overgrown jungle, most of the unexcavated ruins still lay there, covered by thick layers of soil and vegetation, hiding their truths and stories. The paths once trodden by such a great civilisation are now used by tourists, the residential areas hosting iguanas, bats, and birds. To be able to witness such cities in their prime…
More Waterfalls...
After the brief tour around the ruins of Palenque, I hurried up to try and visit another highlight in the town’s surroundings – the falls of Misol Ha. After seeing those of Roberto Barrios, I have to admit these were pretty unimpressive, with just a little stream of water tumbling down from the middle of the jungle.
More to my liking were those of Agua Azul, though I can’t say I’ve experienced them at their best, given that the water was all brown and muddy because of a storm. From other people’s accounts, it usually does live up to its name during the rest of the year, with the water being as azure as a sapphire! Having said that, swimming in the pool during a storm was still an incredible adventure in and of itself – especially the part where the park ranger came to get me thinking I had gotten myself in trouble.
But yeah, swimming in a storm is a must-do. You see, back home, whenever there’s so much as a light drizzle, I feel as though I’ve become incapacitated – cancelling plans and opting to stay in, curled up in bed with a good book. It would never dawn on me to go out for a swim. Sure, the colder temperature does make it a bit less appealing to take a dip, but I’m not even talking about that now. I’m talking about the fact that life seems to stop for most Maltese people when the rain starts pouring.
Meanwhile, here I was, in the middle of a friggin’ tempest – having the time of my life – feeling freer than ever. I swore I’d never let a single drop of rain get in my way ever again!
