Today Is:
Long Count: 2.19.19.2.4
Calendar Round: 13 K'an 12 Pax
315 Days To Baktun 13
Becan is a relatively small ruined Maya site in the heart of the Maya homeland: The Yucatan Pennisula. It was occupied early on, in the middle pre-Classic period. By the time the old city of the Gods Teotihuacan was in full swing, it was still holding on as a trading site, evidenced by a number of trade goods from that great city found in Becan. What makes this site unique is the large ditch that was dug to encompass the entire town, sometime in the period of Teotihuacan. As far as archeology knows this was the only Maya trade city that actually had a moat dug to surround it. It sported at least 7 bridges, which makes sense, as the number 7 was, and still is, very sacred to both Mayan and Nahua cultures. The reason for the ditch was probably for security purposes against the very city that kept the city alive: Teotihuacan, and possibly, Chichien Itza, which was much closer by but just a small settlement. Chichen Itza bears a number of feature that seem to show that the city was taken over by Toltecs directly later on, so Nahual influence may have already been a factor is some parts of the Yucatan, until the fall of Teotihuacan (note: no one has ever proven for sure who built Teotihuacan, although recent research suggests that it was multi ethnic at least in it's neighborhoods (barrios in Spanish), who ruled it is anyone's guess.). In any case, the ditch around this little city makes it unique in Maya history, even if the site itself is not considered of much archaeological significance. Later building were constructed in the Rio Bec style of Maya architecture (I'm a Pu'uc girl myself!)
Located in the present Yucatan state of Campeche, it is still a tourist attraction, despite it's small nature. Here are some links:
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| Ceramic From Becan |
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