Edzná ("House of the Itzaes") is a Mayan

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...

in the north of the

Mexican state A Mexican State (), officially the Free and Sovereign State (), is a constituent federative entity of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico. Currently there are 31 states, each with its own constitution, government, state governor, a ...

Campeche Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...

. The site has been open to visitors since the 1970s. The most remarkable building at the site is the main temple located at the plaza. Built on a platform 40 m high, it provides a wide overview of the surroundings. Another significant building located in the plaza is the ball court, composed of two parallel structures. The top rooms of the ball court were possibly used to store images of the gods associated with the events, along with items needed for the games. Edzná was already inhabited by 400 BC, and was abandoned c. 1500 AD. During the time of occupation, a government was set up whose power was legitimized by the relationship between governors and the deities. In the Late Classic period, Edzná was part of the

Calakmul Calakmul (; also Kalakmul and other less frequent variants) is a Maya civilization, Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region. It is from the Guatemalan border. Calakmul w ...

polity. The city may have been inhabited by as early as 600 BC, but it took until 200 AD before it developed into a major city. The architectural style of this site shows signs of the

Puuc Puuc is the name of a region in the Mexican state of Yucatán (state), Yucatán and a Maya architecture, Maya architectural style prevalent in that region. The word ''puuc'' is derived from the Maya term for "hill". Since the Yucatán is rel ...

style, although it is far from the Puuc Hills sites. The decline and eventual abandonment of Edzná remains a mystery today. Edzná was discovered in 1907, and the first organized excavations began in 1958. In 1986, coordinating agencies began to employ Guatemalan refugees in the excavation, restoration, and maintenance at Edzná. This project was funded by various international organizations.

References

External links

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Edzná Photo Essay

Edzná on AmazingTemples.com (en)
Maya sites in Campeche Former populated places in Mexico Populated places established in the 3rd century BC 3rd-century BC establishments in the Maya civilization 15th-century disestablishments in the Maya civilization Maya sites that survived the end of the Classic Period {{Mesoamerica-stub