Map is from David F. Potter's reconstructive drawing of the Becán archaeological site.
Click on RED LABELS in map to view photos of buildings, or continue scrolling for photos and information about Structure IV, East Acropolis.
Click here for an annotated Becán reading list.
Becán means "ravine or canyon formed by water" in Maya, and refers to the defensive moat that surrounds the city. Becán, however, is not an old or authentic place name, but was conferred on the site in 1934 by archaeologists of the Third Campeche Expedition sponsored by the Division of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution of Washington D.C.
This map, from the entrance to the site, is based on a drawing by David F. Potter which reconstructs Becán as it appeared at the peak of its development around A.D. 800, shortly after the cessation of major construction. Most of the buildings shown were then in use, but the dry moat, built centuries earlier, was probably no longer maintained for its original defensive purposes:
Becán is arranged around three major plazas. The most important of these is the great southeastern plaza with its massive platform supporting Structures I, II, III, and IV.
The central plaza group occupies the midground of the map and is defined on the east by structure VIII and on the west by Structure X.
The west plaza at the top left of the map includes the ballcourt and the back of Structure X on the east, by long low masonry structures north and south of the ballcourt, and by a series of poorly preserved structures on the west side collectively known as Structure XIII. Potter remarks that this group is scarcely better known today than it was at the time of Ruppert's report in 1943.
The Mexican Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia de México's (INAH) website, called Lugares INAH, has a section of spectacular drone fly-over videos, including this amazing fly-over of Becán. This is a 3D "must see!"
Typical Becán checkboard architectural motifs decorate the annex to Structure IV, seen on the right in the photograph. A different type of decorative wall treatment resembling profile serpent masks adorns the terrace at level 2 of Structure IV.
"The north facade is completely different from the others with many doorways opening into numerous rooms. Even without the doorways at Level 3, which are conjectural, the north side of Str. IV must have been much less austere and formidable than the others. By far the most important rooms here are those at Level 2, essentially at the same level as the plaza to the south of the structure."
Potter, David F. Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1977, p. 16-25
Level 1: Grand staircase to Lvl 2; low rooms at the sides of the stair may have controlled access to the public areas above.
Level 2: Many rooms opening onto a grand terrace; rooms have benches, platforms, cordholders and appear to have had public or administrative functions.Terrace is level with the S.E. plaza floor.
Level 3: Accessible only from courtyard on south side of building; Evidence of drains & primitive toilet complete with grafitti. This level appears to have been part of the upper level residential complex.
Level 4: Open residential courtyard; Rooms on three sides; Entrance from grand staircase on S.E. Plaza but no access from the north side of the building.
On this side of the building (north side), a wide stair leads to the second level of structure IV, where the most important rooms are located. Doorways here open onto a wide terrace decorated with elaborate stucco work.
It appears that the two upper levels were only accessible from the other side of the building, either via the monumental staircase on the south or by a narrow interior winding staircase. There is no apparent stairway from Level 3 down to the lower north-side rooms.
The upper group of rooms at Levels 3 and 4 is therefore a truly self-contained unit, the function of which is unknown but hinted at by the arrangement of rooms at Level 4 around the residentially scaled courtyard. The seeming emphasis on good security and on restricted access to this unit suggests its use for elite residential purposes.
Potter, David F. Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1977, p. 25-26
A grand staircase on the south side of Structure IV rises from the plaza directly to a residential courtyard atop the building. A circular platform in seen in the right foreground of the photo.
David F. Potter. Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute Publication 44. Tulane University, New Orleans 1977, Fig. 6, p. 21
The residential complex which occupied the upper two levels of this building was only accessible from the southeastern plaza, either via the monumental stairway on the south side facing the plaza or by a small interior stairway which presumably emerged somewhere on the west side of the building (the private stair is represented in the lower left of the diagram marked "stairway down").
Both stairways terminated on the top floor, where access to the third level was accomplished by narrow steep stairways in the northeast and northwest corners of the courtyard.
The Mexican Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia's (INAH) website, called Lugares INAH, has a section of spectacular drone video footage of flyovers of archaeological sites, including Becán. This is a 3D "must see."
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell
Northwest corner of courtyard with stairway leading down to apartments on the third level. The cross wall decoration is typical of Becán.
Ruppert, Karl & John H. Denison, Jr. Archaeological Reconnaissance in Campeche, Quintana Roo, & Peten. Publication 543. Washington D.C. Carnegie Institution of Washington. 1943, Plate 21c & Plate 21d
Plate c shows the east end of room 8 on level 3, with the lower portion of the stairway up to the courtyard and the doorway to room 9. Plate d shows the entrance to the stairway leading down to the room from the court as it appeared to Ruppert in 1934.
Ruppert, Karl & John H. Denison, Jr. Archaeological Reconnaissance in Campeche, Quintana Roo, & Peten. Publication 543. Washington D.C. Carnegie Institution of Washington. 1943, fig.72
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
Northwest corner of courtyard atop Str. IV. Narrow stairways on the northwest and northeast corners of the courtyard lead down to rooms on level 3. Potter states: "Whatever its purpose, its planners seemed to have intended a differentiation of activity between the upper levels (three and four) accessible only by way of the monumental south and smaller west stairways, and the two lower levels on the north side.
The top level consists of spacious quarters arranged around a well- proportioned open courtyard; the second level has rooms that are scarcely less impressive opening out onto a magnificantly decorated terrace. The monumental stairway on the south side would have provided a fitting approach to the quarters above and isolated them effectively from the presumed turmoil of the plaza below.
Potter, David F. Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1977, p. 45
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
The entrance on the left side of the photo leads to the grand exterior stairway from the southeastern plaza, while an interior stair descends to Level 3 at the center of the photo.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
Looking through a northern doorway of the courtyard, the twin Río Bec towers of the Central Plaza's Structure VIII arise in the distance.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
Remains of walls which once composed a ring of rooms surrounding the open air courtyard.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
"What is important generally is that the courtyard is rather small in scale with indications of both simple and elaborate wall decoration, covered with or moulded of plaster which was painted mostly red but also blue, green, and other bright colors. This, combined with the presumedly colored fabrics, perhaps awnings, at the doorways, adds up to a riotously colorful scene."
Potter, David F. Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1977, p. 28
About the massive substructure of Sturucture IV, Paul Gendrop writes: "We should also note the quantity of passageways, tunnels, and chambers that often perforate the solid mass of some foundations...
In Structure IV at Becán, the intricate though regular chain of chambers and inner passages, as well as those strange passageways that begin in the back of the south façade and go mysteriously down to a chamber that must have had a disguised opening among the barroque decorations of the western façade.
A true architecture of moles, one might say, on seeing the results of a design so deliberately convoluted (which implies a no less costly labor of intricate containing walls and fill)!"
Paul Gendrop. Rio Bec, Chenes, and Puuc Styles in Maya Architecture. Translated from the Spanish by Robert D. Wood, S.M. Labyrinthos, Lancaster, California, p. 63
The ends of the building, which form transitions between the two important façades, seem to have been rather plain continuations of the banded tiers, except for the relief sculpture on the upper west façade.
Our friend Jeff is a fearless and skilled climber, and is responsible for all the high-altitude photos in this section. Thanks, Jeff!
Adjacent to Structure IV to the north is a small structure referred to as the Annex. It is unclear whether this was a residential or administrative structure. This photo was taken from the level 2 terrace of Structure IV, with the great southeastern plaze directly behind Structure IV to the south.
Photo by Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
Looking down on the Annex from the ruined courtyard atop Structure IV: because the masonry vaults of Annex rooms have fallen away, we are given a birds eye view of the rooms and their arrangements of platforms, benches and niches.
Photo by Jeff Purcell [February 20, 1997]
From this vantage point, we see stepped platforms becoming higher toward the back of a multi-chambered room in the upper right of the photo. In the center, there are two benches or platforms with prominent niches underneath.