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Ek Balam
 EK
BALAM means "black jaguar" in Mayan this site
many well have achieved pivotal status in the public
affairs of eastern Yucatan and judging from its monumental
architecture it was quite probably an influential city.
Visually most impressive is its splendid central plaza
bordered by three massive ceremonial structures.
The complex also features a number of smaller temples,
altars, and living quarters. The chief pyramid, known
as the tower, is comparable in size (100 feet high,
517 feet long, and 200 feet wide) with northeastern
Yucatan's most remarkable Mayan buildings.
 The
central plaza grouping is encompassed by two low walls
surrounding 310 of the settlement's overall 2,500 acres.
As recently as 1987 a pre-Spanish road, or sacbe network,
was uncovered and found to fan out to distances of up
to one mile or more.
Recent research shows that the site was inhabited from
as far back as the late pre-classic and early classic
periods (100 BC. - 300 A.D) and on down to the time
of the Spanish conquest and colonization.
 Archeological
research thus far points to the rise of this site to
some time between 400 and 600 A.D., which in the Mayan
area is referred to as the early classic period. In
a 16th century Spanish account, Historical-Geographic
reports of the government of Yucatan, mention is made
of the founding of Ek Balam and the group that ruled
it during its first 40 years, though about the time
period when those events actually took place nothing
is said.
The site was subservient to a provincial capital called
TIKIBALON , Mayan for "black tiger", and whose
ruler was one Couch Cal Balam, or "Everyone's overlord".
The peak of Ek Balam's development has been traced
to the 700-1000 AD period, now designated the terminal
classic. During this time older buildings were enlarged,
while the site held sway over the region north of Valladolid,
where one finds today a dozen or so important sites.
Ek Balam may have been the nerve centre for local agricultural
output and management in pre-spanish times. As much
is suggested by the fact that even at present the area
produces good volumes of corn, wax, honey, and cotton.
The decline of the settlement might have been due to
gradual depopulation beginning in about 1200 A.D., a
year which falls within the post-classic period. By
then building work had dropped to record low levels.
The factors which actually brought on Ek Balam's demise
are not known with any certainty, however, perhaps together
with other large sites in the Mayan area, its abandonment
was due to political infighting which disrupted the
local populace and made them return to the Countryside.
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