Cobá is one of the few cities that retains its Maya name and highlights a beautiful pyramid in the middle of the thickness of the jungle
Mérida, Yucatán, May 10, 2021 (MX CITY).- It is said that one of the meanings closest to Cobá, and the most plausible, due to its proximity to the lagoons, is that of “chopped water”. Archaeologists have found hieroglyphics inscriptions on stelae and panels at the site that have allowed them to affirm that, indeed, Cobá was the original name of the city.
The ancient city of Cobá represents the last Maya ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, where you can see the tallest pyramid in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula: the Nohoch Mul pyramid, 42 meters high.
The pyramid has 7 levels and an architectural style similar to that of Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. As Cobá was an important Maya ceremonial center, this construction is 41 meters high. This monument is located between Tulum and Chichen Itzá, 41 kilometers from Tulum.
At the entrance of the site you can see that the route is pure jungle. The most impressive thing about this adventure is the lush vegetation and lakes. The enclosure has a couple more structures and the environment is very pleasant.
Learn about the cultural importance of Cobá
The city of Cobá developed around five lakes that were a fundamental factor for its development and subsistence. With approximately 70 km2 of extension, the city was communicated by extensive raised stone roads, known in the Maya language as sacbé (white road), of variable length and width.
The longest road travels 100 km., Reaches the site of Yaxuná, very close to Chichén Itzá. The inhabitants of Cobá, who did not belong to the powerful class, lived around the nucleus of the city, in houses very similar to those of the modern Mayans.
The evidence of the first recorded human settlements is between 100 BC and 300 AC, when it was thought that it consisted of a series of villages located in the vicinity of the lakes, whose economy was based on agriculture and hunting.
Centuries later, Cobá developed by centralizing economic and political power, controlling several nearby towns. The internal communication routes and to other towns and regions, made up of more than 50 roads, were built between 600 AC and 800 AC, at which time most of the stelae of the site were also erected.
The construction boom of the city occurred between 800 and 1000 AD, when the road network was expanded, new buildings were built and its relations with the Gulf Coast were strengthened, while they decreased with the Petén region.
Its hegemonic force began to weaken between 1000 and 1450 AC, when it received new influences from more “Mexicanized” groups. A new architectural style is introduced and incorporated into the existing constructions and most of its sculptured monuments, relocated in small platforms and niches.
The ancient Maya city of Coba is located halfway between Tulum and the almighty Chichen Itza, in an area surrounded by 5 lakes, which helped the development and subsistence of the city.
However, its population is much older than those cities. There is evidence that there was a human settlement as early as 100 BC, although it was between 500 and 900 AC when Cobá exercised its power throughout the region, being one of the largest Maya cities at that time, with a population of about 55,000 inhabitants and an area of 70 square kilometers.
The city lasted until the 14th century, and at the time of the arrival of the Spanish, Cobá was completely depopulated. Apparently, it is one of the few cities that kept the original Maya name, Cobá.
Archaeological zone of Cobá
Where: Carretera Federal Tulum 307, 77793 Cobá, QR
When: Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 15:00
How much: $ 80 pesos
Source: Mx City