Nunnery Quadrangle

A variety of parrots, macaws, eagles, doves, and turkeys. These are birds related to the sun and the vital life force. They are renowned for their beautiful feathers, oftened used to adorn the headdresses of Mayan dignitaries. (Image Credit: Jim ...

This photo shows the western half of the North Building of the Nunnery Quadrangle. The building has eleven doorways on the front facade, and two on the ends. Each doorway leads into a double-chambered room. The number thirteen and depictions of ...

A stone throne, set into steps of North Building, Nunnery Quadrangle. This throne dates to the year 900AD, and seems to have belonged to the Señor Chaac, one of the last governors of Uxmal. Because of its location, it would have seated the ...

Stone throne or seat, set into steps of North Building, Nunnery Quadrangle. (Image Credit: Jim Spadaccini, Ideum)

Some architectural solar alignments are more subtle. On the day that the Sun passes through the zenith in the ancient Maya city of Uxmal, there are many alignments. One simple, but lovely alignment occurs at sunrise in the courtyard of the ...

The East building of the Nunnery Quadrangle has five doorways on the front facade which rises above the court on a raised platform. A stairway runs along its length. Entry through the center doorway reveals a chamber of six compartments, while ...

Detail of a mask superimposed on the V-shaped cribbing. The masks on the East building of the Nunnery Quadrangle are unique to this structure. This one shows the face of an owl with a feathered headdress and braided hair. The face is decorated ...

Detail from the northern side of the West Building of the Nunnery Quadrangle. Here we see the rattle and tail of one serpent and the head of another. It is thought that the head of the first and the tail of the second would have been found on the ...

The lower serpent of the two that appear on the northern end of the West Nunnery Building has a figure emerging from its mouth. Such an image of ancestors emerging from the mouths of serpents is often observed in Mayan iconography, and represents ...

The North Building has the highest placement in the Nunnery Quadrangle, elevated on the tallest platform. It has 13 exterior doorways (two are on the ends), thought to represent the 13 layers of heaven; each leads to a double-chambered room. ...

This is a representation of an owl, associated with bad omens and death or darkness. (Image Credit: Michelle Williamson, Ideum)

The Quadrangle of the Nuns detail, turtle man. Representation of a throne over the middle and widest doorway of the West Building of the Nunnery Quadrangle. Here we see, in the upper region, a headdress, and in the lower region, a turtle sitting ...