Kaax: Not Too Far Off the Beaten Path

The remains of grand Maya temples and cities can be found all over Yucatán, even inconspicuously “just sitting there” on the side of highways.

Aerial view of Kaax, an unexcavated archaeological site in Yucatán. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

One example is Pirámides Puuc on the toll-free Mérida-Valladolid-Cancún highway, just outside the tiny town of Holcá.  The nickname Pirámides Puuc likely originates from a mask representing the rain god that used to be along the base of one of the pyramids. Though it’s unclear exactly what happened, the stone mask seems to either have been taken by INAH or, more likely, looted by inscrutable folks looking to make a quick buck. The site seems to exhibit architectural features much more consistent with those found in sites like Izamal or Aké.

The real name of this site happens to be Kaax, which in Yucatec-Maya translates as “chicken.” This fact is lost on virtually everyone, as you really have to “dig” into archaeological journals to find any reference to it.  Because chickens are not native to Mesoamerica, the name Kaax is likely a contemporary iteration applied to other more indigenous “poultry” from the Peninsula, such as Oscellated turkeys.

Kaax is also often referred to as Kantunil, which translates to “the place of the precious stones” and which is also the name of the municipality in which the site and the nearby town of Holca are located.

Though the site has not been restored, it has been extensively surveyed and dated to sometime during the middle Classical period, likely between the 3rd and 4th centuries.

 

Directly behind the main architectural group is a cenote called Xcach. It is beautiful but not ideal for swimming.The cenote is teeming with wildlife as it’s a great permanent water source. Sections of the cenote have been cordoned off because of nearby cattle pastures.

 

During a recent trip to Kaax and Cenote Xcach, I was fortunate enough to capture this photo of an ocelot opposite the mesh that seems to divide the property.

 

If you go . . .

Keep your eyes open for Cenote Xcach, where you will find a safe place to park.