can8602_26, The Nunnery, Chichen Itza, Maya Ruins, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

A Walking Tour of Chichén Itzá: Chichén Itzá, one of best known archaeological sites of the Maya civilization, has a split personality. The site is located in the northern Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, about 90 miles from the coast. The south half of the site, called Old Chichén, was constructed beginning about 700 AD, by Puuc Maya emigres from the southern Yucatan. The Puuc built temples and palaces at Chichén Itzá including the Red House (Casa Colorada) and the Nunnery (Casa de las Monejas). The Toltec component of Chichén Itzá arrived from Tula about 950 AD and their influence can be seen in the the Osario (the High Priest's Grave), and the Eagle and Jaguar Platforms. Most interestingly, a cosmopolitan blending of the two created the Observatory (the Caracol) and the Temple of the Warriors.

The Nunnery is strictly a Puuc style building, named Casa de las Monjas by the Spanish who were reminded of convent buildings back home. This building is considered by most a residential palace, but scholars are divided as to whether it represents the residence of the founding family of Chichén or a priest's house, or a Popal Nah (or council house) structure. The building has five dedicatory glyph strings, one of which dates it to AD 880. The original building was constructed on a 30 foot high platform, with two wings and a central reinforced wall. During a later remodeling, the base was widened and a second floor added. Above the second floor is a mat-weave lattice. The decoration and architecture is typically Puuc Maya. The rubble core walls were originally veneered with indented stepped frets in cubes decorated with flowers. A sacrificial stone is in front of this building, and a jaguar throne was found within, showing its continued use after the Toltec arrival.

Photo taken in February 1986 on Kodachrome 64 film with a Minolta SLR camera and Vivitar 70-150 zoom. Scanned 2005. Photo by: Jim Gateley. Text Copyright 2006: K. Kris Hirst, About.com used with permission. A list of references used for this project is available for further reading on Chichén Itzá.