Tulum

Phillip and I visited the Tulum Mayan Ruins when we stopped in Cozumel. The first thing we found out was that the Mayans still exist and many still live a primitive life-style in the Yucatan peninsula. Our tour guide was of Mayan descent and was very informative and passionate about the history of his people.



Tulum stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are beautiful.








In Maya, Tulum means "Wall", and the city was christened thus because it is a walled city; one of the very few the ancients ever built. We entered the site, in fact, through a gate in the ancient wall.







The buildings once featured colorful paintings. The Mayan artists utilized natural pigments with brilliant colors, and a few remnants of the color are still intact.






This sculpture is supposed to be of a woman giving birth. I really can't see that in the design, but it fits in with the Mayan worship of their numerous gods and goddesses.