Mayan Archaeological Sites in Yucatán
Archaeological Sites in Oaxaca
Archaeological Sites in Chiapas
Arqueología Campeche
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
Mayan Archaeological Sites in Yucatán
Archaeological Sites in Oaxaca
Arqueología Chihuahua
Arqueología Campeche
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
Its name means "cry of the deer" in the Mayan language.
The archaeological zone is in the center of the current population and has an approximate area of 3 square kilometers.
Founded in the Mayan pre-Classic (700-500 BC), much of its importance was due to the relations with other contemporary cities such as Dzibilchaltun, Oxkintok and Mayapan up until around 1000 A.D.
During its heyday in the Early Classic (300-600 A.D) Acanceh occupied an area of 1.2 square miles with more than 300 structures.
Must see Buildings
The site display two main structures.
Acanceh
Pirámide Escalonada (Step Pyramid)
The three-leveled step pyramid is 11 m (1 feet) high and has revealed part of its decoration, which consists of several distinctive carved masks. A total of eight stucco facade masks were discovered on both sides of the four stairways, and there are two more located on the south facade.
The stucco facade masks measure between 2.25 m (7 feet 5 inches) and 3.50 m (11 feet 6 inches) in height and between 3.05 m (10 feet) and 3.72 m (12 feet 2 inches) in width.
Palacio de los Estucos (Palace of the Stuccos)
The other structure is the "Palace of the Stuccos", with 6 m (20 feet) high and 50 m (164 feet) wide. The Palace has a number of rooms and show a complex design characterized for many elaborate friezes with figures reminiscent of the Teotihuacan style.
Masks
Among all the masks found in the site, the one that attracts the most attention is an anthropomorphic head adorned and surrounded by symbolic elements related to Kinich Ahau, God of the Sun.
These structures suggest the existence of relations between Acanceh with places like Uaxactún, Guatemala and Teotihuacán, in fact because of the ceramics found, scholars think that it could be a kind of Teotihuacan enclave north of Yucatan.
Location
It is located in Acanceh on Calle 21, 27 km away, approximately (16 miles) half an hour southeast of Mérida.
Hours
Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00 hrs.
English 
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