For people who think that Mexico is just for non-stop partying and stretches of luxurious beach and vacation resorts, think again! History nuts, “relic hunters,” and visitors, who just want a more culturally rich experience, rejoice! Mexico will certainly not disappoint you! Mexico is also home to a rich and ancient history, with some of the remains of ancient kingdoms still well-preserved and intact. One of these sites is Calakmul. This area is the site of one of the largest ancient cities by the Mayan civilization that has ever uncovered. This site is located in the Mexican state of Campeche, in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve which has an area of 1,800,000 acres. Calakmul is surrounded by a jungle region and is only 30 kilometers from Mexico’s border with Guatemala.
Calakmul is a popular destination for those who want a lot of history and culture because there are a lot of structures in this Maya region. Moreover, most of these structures have been recovered intact. Calakmul has 117 obelisks, which represents representing rulers and their wives in paired sets. This figure is the largest obelisk count in the region. The bad news is, these carved obelisks were made out of soft limestone, and the weather, wear and tear has eroded most of them beyond interpretation.
Murals are also present in Calakmul. These Calakmul murals are a bit different from the others found in ancient Maya sites, as the latter depict activities of the elite class. In the Calakmul mural, market scenes are depicted, where people are seen preparing or consuming products such as tobacco, tamale, and atole, while vendors are selling needles and textiles. There are glyphs in the murals which are supposed to describe the activities. There are also ceramic remains with interesting designs in the area, which will sure fascinate archeological fans.