Ancient Maya Cities of the Yucatán December 3–11, 2016 ITINERARY

Home , Chaac, Maya codices, Maya ruins of Belize, Uxmal

DECEMBER 3 Arrive at Mérida International Airport (MID) by 4 p.m. Meet your tour representative for transfer to Hotel Mision de Fray Diego, located a block and a half from the main square in Mérida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán. Meet the group for dinner and program orientation with our scholars, Ed Barnhart of the Maya Exploration Center and Joseph Suina (Cochiti). Overnight, Hotel Mision de Fray Diego, Mérida. D

DECEMBER 4 We begin our exploration of the Maya world at Mérida the excellent Regional Anthropology Museum in Mérida. This afternoon we visit the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya. This new museum showcases Maya artifacts—stone sculptures, jewelry, and more—in a way that offers many insights into the Maya worldview. The evening is yours to explore the beautiful, historic center of Mérida. Overnight, Mérida. B L

DECEMBER 5 We tour Dzibilchaltun, located 10 miles north of Mérida in the extreme north of the Maya region. The site was continuously occupied for about 3,000 years, until the arrival of the Spanish. Continue on to Izamal, a regional capital known locally as the “Yellow City.” It is one of the largest northern Maya Chichen-Itza cities, with five great temples that can be seen from far away. We walk along two of the larger sacbeóob (stone roads) that connected Izamal with other important centers nearby. Evening lecture: Maya archaeoastronomy. Overnight, Villas Arqueológicas, Chichen-Itza. B L D

DECEMBER 6 Occupied for nearly a thousand years, until its abandonment in the A.D. 1400s, Chichen-Itza was one of the great cities of the ancient Maya world. It is thought to have had a diverse population, including influence from the Toltecs— as seen in the variety of architectural styles at the site. El Castillo and the Warriors’ Temple are two Uxmal

www.crowcanyon.org ӏ 800.422.8975, ext. 457 of Chichen-Itza’s most well-known and intriguing structures. We also visit the Sacred Cenote, a natural water-filled sinkhole used in Maya rituals. Overnight, Chichen-Itza. B L D

DECEMBER 7 Our journey continues in Mayapán, the “Banner of the Maya”—the last great Maya capital, known for its defensive stone wall that ringed the city. Mayapán was abandoned in the mid-1400s. We continue on to Mani and the church where, in the early 1560s, Bishop Diego de Landa burned a number of Maya codices along with thousands of Maya passageway, Uxmal other objects. Overnight, Hotel Hacienda Uxmal, Uxmal. B L

DECEMBER 8 Spend a full day exploring Uxmal, an enormous Maya city of the Classic period; it is famous for the artwork of its “Nunnery.” Uxmal is considered one of the most important sites in the ancient Maya world, along with Chichen-Itza, Caracol in Belize, and Tikal in Guatemala. Evening lecture: Maya terminal Classic period. Overnight, Uxmal. B L D

DECEMBER 9 This morning, we visit Kabah, a Maya site in the Puuc region. Kabah is famous for its Palace of Masks, decorated with hundreds of images of Pyramid, Uxmal Chaac, the rain god—an important figure in this more arid part of the Yucatán. This afternoon, we tour the Loltun Caves, an extensive network of caverns where you can see Maya cave paintings as well as older pictographs. The human history here goes back about 12,000 years; bones of mammoths and ancient tools have been recovered from the caves. Overnight, Uxmal. B L

DECEMBER 10 This morning, we stop in Muna for a pottery demonstration by Patricia Martin Morales, who creates masterful reproductions of Maya pots. We are treated to a traditional Yucatec lunch in Muna, then return to Mérida. Enjoy free time in the city Kabah before we gather for a farewell dinner. Overnight, Hotel Mision de Fray Diego, Mérida. B L D

DECEMBER 11 Depart from Mérida International Airport anytime. B

B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Itinerary subject to change www.crowcanyon.org 800.422.8975, ext. 457 [email protected]