Pyramid of the Magician
The Pyramid of the Magician is a Mesoamerican step pyramid located in the ancient Pre-Columbian city of Uxmal, Mexico. The structure is also referred to as the Pyramid of the Dwarf, Casa el Adivino, and the Pyramid of the Soothsayer. The pyramid is the tallest and most recognizable stru…
Was the Pyramid of the magician in Uxmal built in one night?
Pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal Legend has it that the Pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal (Pirámide del Adivino) was built in a single night. Very unlikely because it consists of 5 structures from different eras, perhaps only the last and smallest structure on top was built in one night and that turned later on turned into the legend.
What is the tallest structure at Uxmal?
The Pyramid of the Magician is the tallest structure at Uxmal and is essentially a five-step pyramid. Legends say that the pyramid was built by means of magic in one day by a Dwarf King. However, the pyramid most likely took several decades to be built.
What is the Pyramid of the magician?
The Pyramid of the Magician ( Spanish: Pirámide del adivino) is a Mesoamerican step pyramid located in the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal, Mexico. It is the tallest and most recognizable structure in Uxmal. The Pyramid of the Magician is the central structure in the Maya ruin complex of Uxmal.
How was the Uxmal temple built?
The dwarf was hailed as the new ruler of Uxmal and the structure was dedicated to him. A slightly different version of this tale is recounted by Hans Li in The Ancient Ones : Legend tells that this temple -pyramid was built by a powerful dwarf magician, who was hatched from an egg by his mother.
What was the purpose of the Pyramid of the Magician?
The Pyramid of the Magician is the first building a visitor encounters entering the ceremonial area of Uxmal, just north of the Ball Game Court and the Palace of the Governor and east of the Nunnery Quadrangle.
What was special about Uxmal?
The most impressive structure here – and certainly the best thing to see at Uxmal – is the Pyramid of the Magician. It got its name because it is at the centre of a famous Mayan legend. The story is that it was foretold that a new king would rule the city when a magical instrument was played in the jungle.
What shape is the Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal?
ellipticalPhysical description of the Pyramid of the Magician It measures around 35 meters in height and has an elliptical plan of 53.5 meters.
What is the significance of the Mayan pyramids?
Civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all built pyramids to house their deities, as well as to bury their kings. In many of their great city-states, temple-pyramids formed the center of public life and were the site of holy rituals, including human sacrifice.
What happened at Uxmal?
Most of the city's major construction took place while Uxmal was the capital of a Late Classic Maya state around 850-925 AD. After about 1000 AD, Toltec invaders took over, and most building ceased by 1100 AD. Maya chronicles say that Uxmal was founded about 500 A.D. by Hun Uitzil Chac Tutul Xiu.
Who made the Pyramid of the Magician?
Pyramid of the MagicianWidth81 m (266 ft)Height40 m (131 ft)HistoryBuilderUnknown; Itzamna or his mother (Mythical)MaterialLimestone12 more rows
How old is Uxmal pyramid?
The building was built in the late 9th century CE with various additions being made in subsequent decades. A large courtyard enclosed by four separate rectangular buildings is accessed via a monumental staircase on the south side which leads up to a large corbel arch entrance.
What is the tallest Mayan pyramid?
At more than 130 feet in height, Nohuch Mul, which means “large mound” in the Mayan language, is the tallest pyramid at Coba archaeological site and in the Yucatán Peninsula. Coba, an easy half-hour drive inland from the coastal city of Tulum.
Who built Uxmal?
It did not.) No one knows when the Maya first settled in Uxmal. A legend tells of a magician-dwarf who built the Pyramid of the Magician overnight, but hard evidence from the earliest temple suggests construction began around the 6th century A.D. and continued expanding the city thereafter.
What was the top of the pyramid used for in the Mayan civilization?
The first type of pyramid had a temple on the top and was meant to be climbed by the priests to make sacrifices to the gods. The stairs going up the sides of these pyramids were steep, but not too steep for the priests to climb. The most important religious ceremonies were held at the top of these pyramids.
How would you describe a Mayan pyramid?
A typical Mayan pyramid was a series of stepped platforms with a small temple built on top. The temple roof was often adorned with a highly embellished structure called a "roof-comb," decorated with sacred images in stucco relief.
How were Mayan pyramids different from Egyptian pyramids?
Compared to the Egyptian pyramids at Giza, Mayan pyramids are mostly smaller, but steeper and more ornate. They were built of stone blocks held together with lime mortar. Some were covered with plaster and painted.
Is Uxmal better than Chichen Itza?
In summary, if you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy getting closer to historical artefacts, Uxmal is your best bet. But if you're aching to see a modern wonder of the world, you should go to Chichen Itza.
Who built Uxmal?
It did not.) No one knows when the Maya first settled in Uxmal. A legend tells of a magician-dwarf who built the Pyramid of the Magician overnight, but hard evidence from the earliest temple suggests construction began around the 6th century A.D. and continued expanding the city thereafter.
What are the significant features of Palenque?
Palenque is also famous for its decorative stucco sculpture and low-relief carvings which present some of the most naturalistic portraits in Maya art. Also of note are the many palaces with wide courtyards, ornamental fountains, and artificial pools dotted around the city.
How old are the ruins of Uxmal?
Ceramic evidence points to an early occupation at Uxmal dating back to 800 B.C. The structures one sees today dates from the Classic Maya era (600-900 A.D) and its architecture is termed Puuc style.
What is the pyramid of the magician?
According to the legend, a dwarf, hatched from a turtle egg, built the pyramid in one night using magic, hence the name Pyramid of the Magician. While doing it, he also proved himself worthy to be the king of the ancient city. As all legends, it has a few different versions. In the Incidents of Travel in Yucatan John Lloyd Stevens mentions it, as heard from a local Maya in 1843. Other versions are still told in Yucatan today. They only differ in small details, the main story is always the same.
Where is Uxmal located?
One of the most spectacular Maya archaeological site in the state of Yucatan in Mexico, Uxmal is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site for its universal value and its structures representing “the pinnacle of late Maya art and architecture.”
What is the Tunkul drum?
One day, as he was playing, the child dwarf found a Tunkul. This is a traditional Maya drum, made from the trunk of the zapote tree. Hollowed by hand, it is also slit on one side to make different sounds. It is usually played with a wooden sticks.
What did the dwarf build for his mother?
According to the legend mentioned above, this was the pyramid the Dwarf built for his mother, in his new city. We don’t know what it looked like when built, since it is still in rubble, away from the main structures.
What would happen if the Tunkul resonated in Uxmal?
According to this prophecy, when the sound of the tunkul would resonate in Uxmal, his reign would end. Furthermore, the person who struck the instrument would become the new king.
What did the King do when he saw a dwarf?
Still, to be on the safe side, he gave him a few challenges to complete. He designed the challenges to kill the dwarf if not met, but he still added that he would be executed if he failed.
Is the Nunnery Quadrangle still spectacular?
Leaving the Nunnery Quadrangle, the path took us through the ball court. Not as large as the one in Chichen Itzá, it is still spectacular. This time it looked better than I remembered. We could tell they have worked on reconstructing it, in the past few years.
How tall is the Pyramid of the Magician?
The pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal was made in such a way that the western staircase faces the sun on the summer solstice sunset. It measures around 35 meters in height and has an elliptical plan of 53.5 meters.
How many structures are there in the Pyramid of the Magician?
Legend has it that the Pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal (Pirámide del Adivino) was built in a single night. Very unlikely because it consists of 5 structures from different eras, perhaps only the last and smallest structure on top was built in one night and that turned later on turned into the legend. We can say that the general form of the Pyramid ...
How many steps to the pyramid of the magician's fifth temple?
Pyramid of the Magician’s fifth Temple. It’s at the top of the pyramid and to access it you have to climb 150 steep steps that are flanked by Chac masks. The decoration of the facades is completely Puuc, smooth low walls, on which a largely decorated frieze is placed, in this case with intertwined snakes and a roof hut.
What is the meaning of the pyramid of the sorcerer?
This form is considered with the maximum expression of the cosmos and divinities. This Pyramid is also called the Pyramid of the Sorcerer or Pyramid of the Dwarf, all of them from the legend that they told an American researcher when he visited Uxmal. The legend tells the story of a dwarf who was the son of a sorceress and who had been born ...
How tall is the Pyramid of the Magician's second temple?
Pyramid of the Magician’s second Temple. To build this temple, which is approximately 2/3 of the current height, the first Temple had to be covered and a pyramid built on it. To access it, an opening was made from where the columns that support the roof can be seen.
When was the Pyramid of the Magician built?
The Pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal began to be built in the sixth century and the last level dates from the tenth century. The existing hieroglyphs have helped the dating of each of the construction periods.
Where is the Pyramid of the Magician's first temple?
Pyramid of the Magician’s first Temple. It’s located on the bottom platform, practically at ground level. Its decoration is based on columns and Chac masks, with two of them standing above the entrance stand out. In this temple, the sculpture called the Queen of Uxmal was found, which is a serpent head with an open mouth, ...
What is the pyramid at Uxmal?
There are other pyramid-temples and monuments at Uxmal of significant size in various states of preservation. One such structure is the so-called Great Pyramid. The Great Pyramid at Uxmal is one of the few large Mayan buildings that tourists can still climb. It has nine superimposed bodies and a staircase to the north.
What does the sound of the king of Uxmal mean?
According to the prophecies, it was known that when someone played that instrument and its sound reverberated throughout the region, the one who played the instrument would gain the throne of the city, so when it was heard by the king of Uxmal, he identified the sound as the announcement of the end of his reign.
How was the pyramid built?
Legends say that the pyramid was built by means of magic in one day by a Dwarf King. However, the pyramid most likely took several decades to be built. Various architectural styles are embedded within the structure. The ancient city of Uxmal was one of the most important Maya cities in the Yucatan region.
Why is the pyramid called the Pyramid of the Prophet?
The dwarf child was born and had the ability to foresee the future,” the reason why many people refer to the pyramid as the Pyramid of the Prophet or Soothsayer. The legend says that one day “the dwarf discovered a tunkul (a kind of wooden percussion instrument) and began to play it.
How many levels are there in the Pyramid of the Magician?
The Pyramid of the Magician has five levels, and the structure known today as the Governor’s palace covers an area of more than 1,200 m 2 (12,917 sq ft). A view of the pyramid of the magician at Uxmal protruding from the forest. This pyramid is the tallest structure at Uxmal. Shutterstock.
How many pyramids are there in Maya?
The ancient city is home to two pyramids and various temples, plazas and a ball court. The ancient Maya civilization was one of the most proliferate pyramid-building cultures in the history of mankind.
What is the shape of the pyramid?
Its general shape is that of a truncated quadrangular pyramid. Also called the Temple of Macaws (Templo de guacamayos), the pyramid is thought to have been built in the eighth century. It is decorated by numerous bird-motifs. The corners of the Temple have three Chac masks. Maya, Uxmal, Yucatan.
Where is Kabah located in Uxmal?
23km south east of Uxmal is Kabah, another of the sites on what is known as the ‘Puuc route’. It’s nice enough, but I’d suggest visiting Kabah first, as it doesn’t match up to the spectacular nature of the Pyramid of the Magician and the Governor’s Palace.
Is Uxmal a flat plain?
Unlike all the other Mayan sites we’ve visited, Uxmal isn’t built on a flat plain. Instead it takes advantage of the terrain. South of the main pyramid the ground rises and is topped by another man-made plaza about 10m high.
Overview
Construction and design
The exact height of the Pyramid of the Magician is in dispute and has been reported as tall as 40 metres (131 feet) and as low as 27.6 metres (90.5 feet). The accepted median height is 35 metres (115 feet), with the base measuring approximately 69 by 49 metres (227 by 162 feet). Despite the absence of an exact measurement, the pyramid remains the tallest structure at Uxmal.
The Pyramid of the Magician is the most distinctive Mayan structure on the Yucatán Peninsula. I…
Description
The Pyramid of the Magician is the central structure in the Maya ruin complex of Uxmal. Uxmal is located in the Puuc region of Mexico and was one of the largest cities on the Yucatán Peninsula. At its height, Uxmal was home to about 25,000 people. Like other Puuc sites, the city flourished from 600-1000 AD, with the great building period taking place between 700 and 1000 AD. The name Uxma…
Restoration and contemporary status
The Pyramid of the Magician remains the central tourist attraction in the Uxmal complex. Modern facilities can be now found at the entrance, immediately in front of the pyramid; including a cafeteria, souvenir shop, and restrooms. There is also a small museum and auditorium. The site is open between 8am and 5pm, with a sound and light show, presented in both English and Spanish, every evening. The Pyramid of the Magician is the focal point of the show.
Legend
The name of the structure is derived from folk legends told by the indigenous Mayan people. The age of these tales is unknown, as is the Pre-Columbian name of the structure. The tale existed in varied accounts concerning the construction of the Pyramid of the Magician.
According to one account, a magician-god named Itzamna was single-handedly supposed to have erected the pyramid in one night, using his might and magic.
Quotes
Stephens and Catherwood visited Uxmal first in 1839, then again during their expedition of 1841. Describing his first view of the ruins, Stephens writes:
"We took another road, and, emerging suddenly from the woods, to my astonishment came at once upon a large open field strewed with mounds of ruins, and vast buildings on terraces, and pyramidal structures, grand and in good preservation, richly ornamented, without a bush to obstr…
See also
• El Castillo, Chichen Itza
• List of Mesoamerican pyramids
• Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque
• Tikal Temple I
External links
• Reed College website on Pyramid of the Magician
• Ancient Worlds: The Americas, Pyramid of the Dwarf
• Frommers Travel Site, Pyramid of the Magician