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Xlapak - Yucatan
Xlapak
means "Old Wall" in Mayan. Interestingly,
many of the ruins are called Xlapak by today's local
inhabitants. It seems that the names of these ancient
cities have not been handed down over the centuries
and the locals refer to sites as "old walls"
or "stone house" or "pile of rocks".
The exact name of Xlapak has not been determined.
It
is one of the lesser sites found in the Puuc region.
It was occupied in the late Classic period from 600
to 1000 A.D. and was probably subservient to the larger
Uxmal. The central area of the site contains two groups
of interesting buildings. One of them is Xlapac's most
famed building and is called the Palace. "The Palace"
is considered one of the jewels of the Puuc style. The
beauty of the Palace is defined by the very intricate
workmanship found throughout the Puuc region, and the
palace is an excellent example. There are some spectacular
masks of Chaac, the rain god and a series of detailed
work including a false arch. This construction is only
one story high, but it has nine rooms. In the other
group there is one building which resembles the Palace.
It displays a frieze garnished by means of small columns
and a row of serrated stones.
 
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