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Axcanan, sometimes spelled
Ixcanan and known locally
as Polly Red Head, is a common shrub with bright orange-red
flowers whose Mayan name means "guardian of the forest."
The plaza is enclosed by buildings: two pyramids to the east
and south, and range structures to the south, west, and north.
There are also two private patios, the southeast morning terrace
and southwest evening terrace. Both of these lovely spots are
accessible only from Axcanan. |
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| Once inside Plaza Axcanan, turn around and look at the
range building that you just came through. Archaeologists often look
at the corners and edges of structures for clues about their construction
because these areas are the most stable and often retain their original
form. The Maya built these rooms in pairs, back-to-back, precisely
as the rooms you saw in the passage from Copal to Axcanan. Such buildings
would have had stone vaulted ceilings and a high roof molding with
a decorative frieze. (See What Archaeologists
See) |
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This reconstructed Caracol room series resembles the
room series in the structure at Plaza Axcanan. |
| Near the concrete survey central point on the west side
of Plaza Axcanan is a large Copal tree.
Often this trunk has sap dripping from old scars and red seeds littering
the ground. Copal, or Pom, was the essence of Maya incense. Try smelling
the pungent ancient Maya fragrance from one of these seeds or the
sap. It is easy to imagine the importance of this tree in the ceremonial
life at El Pilar. |
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