The Ruins of Mexico: Virtual Tour Website
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The ruins of Bonampak lie in a remote corner of Chiapas, not too far from the Guatemalan border. It is not advised to come by your own transportation, especially as the site lies at the end of a long, dirt track that is closed to most vehicles. Fortunately, there are two popular ways to reach the ancient city. Many tours are available from Palenque town; they take a full day and often include a further visit to the larger site of Yaxchilán. Alternatively, you can fly in on a light aircraft from the same town. Culture: Classic Maya
The earliest signs of habitation at Bonampak date to around 100AD; the area was developed because of its defensive location and farmable land. The names of important early rulers like Fish Face and Knotted-Eye Jaguar were recorded on stone stelae. There is some indication that the city could have been under the rule of Toniná during this phase. Bonampak reached its apogee in the last century of its occupation. There were important political and cultural ties to Yaxchilán, which we see reflected in the architecture, and at one point these two cities successfully defeated a rival power known as Lacanhá. It was Chan Muan II, the ruler involved, who commissioned the painting of the amazing battle murals that we still see today. But the victory was strangely short-lived. In a matter of only a few decades Bonampak was quickly abandoned and the society at an end, a good hundred years before neighbouring Yaxchilán's decline. We can only guess at the reasons for such a swift exit. The accidental discovery of the murals in the middle of the twentieth century raised a lot of interest, but the story was tinged with mystery when Karl Frey, one of the two men who had found Bonampak, allegedly drowned in a second expedition to try to reach the hidden city. When his body was exhumed, it was reportedly found to have a bullet-hole in it. For more about other Cities of the Classic Maya, see Cultural History. Tour. (Scroll down to follow complete tour, or click on feature below and use your BACK key to return to map) If coming by tour van, we will pass through the entrance gate and stroll for about ten minutes through a wide clearing to reach the city of Bonampak. There are actually three separate groups of buildings here, but the only area open to the public, and with the most impressive finds, is the Acropolis.
We enter an open area known as the Main Plaza with the Acropolis behind. At this end, there is a low stepped platform with a broken stela, known as Building 15.
In the centre of the plaza, we find two examples of the many stelae on offer at Bonampak. Stela 4, on the left, is quite eroded, but under a protective canopy to its right, is Stela 1, a much better preserved specimen. The powerfully posed figure is Cham Muan II, the last great ruler of Bonampak.
We draw irrevocably towards the Acropolis. This structure consists of a series of terraces and buildings constructed on the whole slope of a long hill, giving the impression of being a man-made earthwork.
As we ascend the steps in the centre of the Acropolis, we come to two stelae - 2 and 3 - standing on opposite sides of the stairway. The engravings are excellently preserved and among the most stunning of Mexico. Incidentally, it is unlikely that they both originally stood here.
Stela 2 represents Cham Muan again, this time elaborately dressed and flanked by his wife on the left, and his mother on the right. Stela 3 shows him at work about to sacrifice a prisoner. We ascend to a wide terrace. To our left is Building 3, a square-shaped covered temple with triple entrances to a single chamber.
On the other side of the platform we find the much longer Temple of the Paintings underneath a protective canopy. This is undoubtedly the chief attraction here at Bonampak. Each of its doorways, with carved lintel, gives access to a separate chamber (a unique design feature in this region) and each chamber's interior is completely covered by colourful murals.
The chamber murals follow similar themes but are quite distinct from each other. The first is a ceremonial scene that shows the ruling family presenting what used to be thought an heir, but is now believed to be tribute. They are surrounded by dignitaries and attendants. The next chamber is the famous battle scene and after, the torture and execution of prisoners, presided over by no less than Cham Muan once again. The final chamber shows the celebration and victory feast, along with characters carrying out ritualistic mutilation and blood-letting.
The murals were all painted within a few years of each other and were obviously commissioned by Cham Muan himself. But all was not quite as well as depicted in the victorious scenes here. Bonampak became deserted only a few short years after the temple was completed, in 791. We ascend more steps to the higher level of the Acropolis and a line of square buildings. At the right end of the row, we see Building 4, the largest of the group and also different in that it has two separate rooms and a partially preserved roof-comb: the only example of such a feature at Bonampak. Behind this stands the burnt and ruined Building 9.
Next to Building 4, we come to Buildings 5 and 6 in turn, both smaller one-roomed temples with roof-friezes. Building 6 is noted for its fine door lintel that depicts Cham Muan I; it was made in the earlier history of Bonampak.
Making up the end of the line, are Buildings 7 and 8, similar in style to the previous two temples, but mounted upon platforms of steps.
If we make our way up behind Buildings 4 and 9 we find a wide, crumbling set of steps leading to the top of the Acropolis hill, but there are no more important finds to discover here.
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