| Caption | Temple of Inscriptions, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico. 69 steps ascend 8 levels to the crowning temple where stucco panels between the doorways depict figures in stone relief and Mayan hieroglyphs. Inside the temple is the tomb of Pakal, one of the few burial crypts of this kind found outside Egypt. Palenque’s heyday was from 600 to 800 AD. Only 34 of Palenque’s estimated 500 buildings have been excavated. It is not hard to imagine that many of the surrounding forested hills may be temples reclaimed by nature. The lush confines of the site, the intricate stone reliefs and the detailed architectural features make Palenque Mexico’s most scenic and interesting Mayan ruins. |
