11-04-08 The Ruins of Becan

Watching the election results online. Torture...not waiting for the votes though, the same song has been on repeate for an hour. What is not torture is Obama is cleaning up. Today I saw the ruins of Becan. Becan is traditionally the main city of the Rio Bec region. Famous for a its dry defensive moat, the most formitable defence system in the Maya world. There has been a good amount of research pubished on this site. The first people here arrived in the middle preclassic, about 600BC. Evidence suggests they were farmers who moved up from the south. During the late preclassic, epecially after 150AD large constructions, plazas and the defence system was built. A number of constructions that have been uncovered are typical late preclassic in style, however the early classic had a strong continuity in style. Furthermore, monumental constructuions are believed to have started about 150AD, with the begining of the early classic starting 250AD, but I suspect these were built before 350AD. These constructures have large round corners. Round corners are a trait of Rio Bec style, but here they are very much like late preclassic structures at Yaxha in Guatamala and Lamanai in Belize, but also early classic structures to the northeast at Coba and Yookop. The largest pyrimid at Becan has three small temples at its summit, an almost identical configuration is found at Lamanai. Little is known about the following early classic period. At the time that the liturature I have was published, it was suspected early classic constructions could be numerous, but none had been found. Much work as been done since then, and while I cannot be certain when much of these newly uncovered structures date, but they are nearly identical is style to structures at Uaxactun in Guatamala dating to the early classic (450AD). add link.These Peten style rooms were later buried in 'apron molding' (as mentioned in my Edzna post, a typical late preclassic and early classic style). So these rooms are beyond a resonalbe doubt early classic. It is very much interesting that these high rooms, with walls the slowly curve to a narrow flat roof are diagnositc of classic Rio Bec architecture. So Becan seems to be activly building in the early classic with classic Peten style. The shift to classic Rio Bec style is dated to around 600AD. So what was the shift like from the Peten style to Rio Bec style. As i have said some think the Rio Bec style was so new that it must have come from an outside culture. The early building seen at Chicanna, thought to be early classic are numerous at Becan. What is so interesting is they already have the fine masonry typeical of the Rio Bec style, but facades are much more like Peten buildings. Very much unlike buildings to the north. I am convince these are the link between the Peten style and the Rio Bec style. Based on the more pure Peten buildings here, these tranistional buildings must date to about 500-600AD. So interesting, this will be my first ruin I will have to go back for a second day. Tommorow I am going to the next town north, Zoh Laguna where I hope to see some ruins that are more Chenes in style. Not sure if I will have luck.

An Early Classic passage under a plaza above. This style of vault has been called 'coke bottle', and was believed to be the oldest vault form when seen at Uaxactun. Older vaults have been found that look different.

A finished vault in the same style that was uncovered under a Middle Classic construction.

The back of this Middle Classic Rio Bec structure has been removed to show earlier Peten style architecture and an early palace (with the doorways visable).

These tiny brinklike blocks are nearly perfect. Why such effort that went into making these small blocks is unclear, epecially since they were covered over in plaster.

The front face of an early temple at the summit of the tallest pyrimid at Becan. most of this temple has collapsed off the steep edge of the pyrimid. This configuation is nearly identical to an Late Preclassic one in Belize from about 150AD.

Distance rode:18km