Chicanná exemplifies small scale elegance and gorgeous Chenes architecture
Chicanná's amazing Structure II, centerpiece of the central plaza group
Chicanná was discovered and named (Chicanná means "Serpent-mouth House" in Maya) by Jack D. Eaton in 1966 during reconnaissance of the area prior to the formal start of the National Geographic/Tulane University archaeological study centered at Becán. The ancient name of the site is not known.
Chicanná and its near neighbor, Becán, were built during the same time period, roughly A.D. 600 to 830. However, the architecture at the two sites is quite distinct.
While Becán is characterized by monumental structures grouped around grand plazas, Chicanná exhibits small scale elegance and loosely scattered structures built on low platforms.
There is more intact architecture and specifically more intact architectural sculpture at Chicanná than there is at Becán. Despite the difference in the scale of architecture at the two sites, the sculpture at Chicanná can give us a clearer picture of how the sculptural facades at Becán might have looked when they were intact.
Click on GREEN ARROWS to view photos of major buidings, or just scroll down
Click here for an annotated Chicanná reading list.
For direct links: structure xx, structure xi, structure x, structure vi, central plaza, and chultun
This is a detail from Map 10 in the map packet accompanying Report 45, "Prehistoric Maya Settlement Patterns at Becan, Campeche, Mexico", by the Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University (1981). Map 10 is in turn a copy of Jack Eaton's map in his 1972 excavation report on Chicanná titled "Ceramica de Cultura Maya".
Structure XX was the last architectural monument built at Chicanná. Apparently, all building had stopped by around 830 A.D.
The lower and upper front doorways of Structure XX were designed as open monster mouths similar to that of Structure II . However, the outer walls of both the upper and lower vaulted rooms, which supported the front-facing monster masks, has fallen and taken the frontal masks with them.
Only profile monster mouths are left to bracket the doors on the upper and lower levels. In addition, four superimposed long-nosed rain god masks remain on each of two of the corners of the superstructure.
Eaton states: "Structure XX dates to the late facet of the Chintok ceramic phase of the early Terminal Classic period. Apparently it is the last architectural monument built at the site.
The two-story, multiroom temple-palace displays not only a continuation of the ornate façade tradition which evidently exalts Itzamna, but shows a greater elaboration than that of Structure II. Architecture and the associated religious symbolism reached their greatest development at this time.
By the end of the Chintok phase, ca. A.D. 830, all monumental building activity had ceased at Chicanná. It seems probable that the regional complex social organization and the importance of the Itzamna cult also declined during this time."
Eaton, Jack D. "Chicanná: An Elite Center in the Rio Bec Region", in Preliminary Reports on Archaeological Investigations in the Rio Bec Area, Campeche, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1974, 137-8
This drawing gives an idea of how these monster-mouth doorways might have looked before the lintels collapsed, with upper teeth-lined jaws, noses and eyes lightly sketched in.
Drawings by Sofijo Ristic from Paul Gendrop's "Rio Bec, Chenes, and Puuc Styles in Maya Architecture", Fig. 80, p. 111
The stair to the entrance of Structure XX is interrupted in the middle by a platform which represents the monster mouth lower jaw. Two curved fangs are visible on the lower step of this platform.
Celebrants at this temple were literally entering the maw of Itzamna through his massive teeth-lined jaws.
Benches, seen all over the ancient Maya world, are thought to have been either thrones or beds. Presumably, thrones were distinguished from beds because thrones faced doorways and were centered on the opposite wall, while beds were placed away from doors and curtained off with tapestry. See here for a further description of benches functioning either as thrones or beds.
Hopefully the thrones and beds were made more comfy with jaguar pelts or colorful tapestry pillows or rugs.
Superimposed rain god masks decorate the corners of the superstructure
"At each corner of the upper structure, the serpent-mouth motif is flanked by vertical rows of long-nosed masks, minus lower jaws, of the same general sculptural character as the larger motif.
These are done at a finer scale than the main south facade and show even more vividly how detailed this stone carving is, even without the covering plaster which probably furnished still finer detail."
Eaton, Jack D. "Chicanná: An Elite Center in the Rio Bec Region", in Preliminary Reports on Archaeological Investigations in the Rio Bec Area, Campeche, Mexico. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University. New Orleans 1974, 136
The second story consisted of four upper rooms facing the four cardinal directions. These rooms are mostly intact. The building was crowned with a perforated roof comb.
On each side of the upper doorway are the remains of profile open-jawed monster masks. Each corner of the building is adorned with stacks of four long-nosed masks.
Sculptured corner masks and remains of profile open serpent mouth motif at south side.
The outer wall of the upper vaulted room, which supported the front-facing monster mask, has fallen and taken that mask with it.
Panels decorated in abstract serpent profile designs are featured in many buildings at Chicanná, for example see Structure VI below or the lovely Structure II monster mouth temple.
In Structure XX, such panels occur along both sides of the upper rear and two side doorways.
Both Structure X and Structure XI are in a fairly ruined condition.
Structure XI, the west-facing companion to Str. X, is likewise in a ruinous state. It is thought to be the oldest structure at Chicanná.
Chultuns are underground cisterns built by the ancient Maya to collect and store rainwater. A chultun is always surrounded by a plastered area designed to catch rain and fill the cistern. Chultuns at Maya sites stored thousands of gallons of water for use by its residents during the dry season.
Edward Thompson writes that he had seen charming representations of birds, turtles, and other figures painted on the interior walls of chultuns.
Chultuns were constructed where the hard limestone cap was very thin, allowing the Maya to break through to the softer marl below where they could excavate cisterns to capture rain water during the rainy season. The interiors of chultuns were lined with a thick layer of plaster to make them watertight.
There were numerous chultuns built here to serve the residents of ancient Chicanná, and countless chultuns build all over northern Yucatan, where there are no surface rivers or lakes.
Even though it is mostly in ruin, Structure VI exhibits extraordinarily well preserved wall panels depicting abstract serpent motifs. Similar panels are featured on other buildings at Chicanná, for example panels on the side and rear doorways of the upper story of Structure XX (above) or the panels flanking the outer edge of the monster-mouth doorway of Structure II.
Connoisseurs of Mayan serpent motif panels can click inside the white rectangles to see closeups of the beautiful abstracted serpent motifs gracing the walls of this building.
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