Ekʼ Balam

Ek Balam ('Black Jaguar') is a Maya archaeological site 25 km north of Valladolid in Yucatan, Mexico, with origins in the Middle Preclassic period (700-300 BC). It served as the capital of the Classic-period kingdom of Talol, reaching its zenith between 770-840 AD. The Acropolis, at 160 metres long, is the longest structure uncovered in the Maya world, and the main pyramid rises nearly 30 metres high. The site is noted for its remarkably preserved stucco facade on the tomb of King Ukit Kan Lek Tok and is unusually surrounded by a low defensive stone wall. First explored by Desire Charnay in the late 1800s, major excavations began in 1985.