Dzibanche and Kinichna: Before Calakmul

Dzibanche and Kinichna are two of a small group of buildings—there are four in total—buried in the jungle that makes a small and unique archeological site. It can only be reached by traversing a narrow, jungle path, bringing on those real-explorer feelings.

The whole group

Some consider these separate groups of buildings a single site; others, separate. Whatever the case may be, it’s interesting that each one had specific functions in society.

Dzibanche, a prequel

Dzibanche is the most important of the group, where the government and administrative buildings stood. The name, Dzibanche, means “written on wood,” chosen after the discovery of a wooden lintel in one of the temples, now known as the Temple of the Lintels.

The glyphs found on these lintels, as well as those which decorate a stairway to another temple—The Temple of the Captives—are earlier versions of those in other, bigger archeological sites. They belong to the Kaan family, which would later go on to found Calakmul. That makes Dzibanche, effectively, a prequel.

Calakmul’s warring society is already present in the Dzibanche writings, as the deciphered glyphs celebrate conquering neighboring settlements.

Kinichna

As Dzibanche was the governmental zone, Kinichna was the residential area. It is composed of a plaza surrounded by modest residential buildings on three sides.

Kinichna’s acropolis stands on the remaining side, and it’s the site’s main attraction—where the pyramid is. And boy, do we like pyramids here. The “House of the Sun” is not too shabby. It’s open to the public and tall enough to offer great views of the site and the surrounding jungle from the top.

Kinichna and Dzibanche are linked to each other and the remaining two groups of buildings by sacbes, those white Mayan roads.

Where are Dzibanche and Kinichna?

This site is on the small side, and as such, at the end of a narrow, one-lane highway, around 13 miles long. Also, other than your basic restrooms, there are not many facilities on-site. Don’t forget to take your trusty water bottle with you and keep the bug spray handy during the summer months.