Comalcalco

Comalcalco is an ancient Maya archaeological site in the State of Tabasco, Mexico, adjacent to the modern city of Comalcalco and near the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico [1]. It is the only major Maya city built with bricks rather than limestone masonry and was the westernmost city of the Maya civilisation [1]. The city was a center of the Chontal Maya people [1]. The only known ruler of Comalcalco was Ox Balam, who appears in an inscription from the Tortuguero archaeological site [1]. According to that text, Ox Balam was defeated by Tortuguero's Balam Ahau on December 20, 649 CE [1]. The bricks were joined by mortar made of calcinated seashells and oysters possibly gathered at the nearby Mecoacan Lagoon [1]. To date, 432 structures have been identified at the site, including temples, an administrative building, elite dwellings and functional buildings such as a pib'naah (sweat bath) and a popol naah (council chamber) [1]. Three great complexes forming the ceremonial site core survive: the North Plaza, the East Acropolis and the Great Acropolis [1].