Comalcalco

The Comalcalco archaeological site is the most important site for visitors to the modern little town of the same name in Tabasco. Comalcalco was the westernmost city established in the ancient Maya civilization. Unlike most Maya cities built in limestone, Comalcalco is made from baked clay bricks and stucco mixed with ground shells. Limestone is relatively scarce here.

The site flourished between during the Late Classic period, between 600 and 900 CE. The Chontal Mayan language name was Joy-Chan meaning rolled-up sky. The Nahuatl name we use today translates house of the comales, and is likely a reference to the flat clay cooking surface that would have been baked in the same manner as the bricks. The strategic site on the Gulf Coast and close to several navigable rivers made it an important commercial exchange city. 

Visitors take to the Acropolis, the Temple, and the Palace and Tomb of the Nine Lords, all built with brick and decorated in striking reliefs and glyphs. The city still shows plazas, patios, ball courts, and drainage canals, demonstrating the high degree of urban planning for which the Maya are well remembered. An on-site museum offers further insight into this history. 

The site is on the northeastern edge of the modern town. Comalcalco is today home to just under 50,000 permanent residents. That means that visitors can expect the full service associated with a contemporary economy, including hotels and restaurants and a big central market. The surrounding area is vibrant, with a Gulf Coast vibe and lots going on. Getting to the archaeological site takes less than 15 minutes in a taxi. 

The town is a frequent weekend getaway for residents of the capital at Villahermosa. The drive is about an hour. Autobuses Unidos (AU) make the same trip from the bus station in Villahermosa in about three hours. ADO runs a little more directly, in about two hours. The trip from Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz takes about 2.5 hours.