Where Is Tulum and Why Was It So Important to the Ancient Maya?
Now part of a modern tourist paradise, the Tulum ruins remain a symbol of a once vibrant and powerful civilization.
By Stephen C. George
Mar 18, 2023 10:00 AM
Tulum at sunrise
(Credit: soft_light/Shutterstock)
What is Tulum known for? Well, anyone who’s ever heard of the place knows it as a buzzy resort, the trendier alternative to Cancun (80 miles to the north), and for the past few decades an increasingly popular (and crowded) destination for foodies, influencers and tourists in general.
But the ancient Maya people were at Tulum long before it was cool. In fact, skeletal remains found in nearby cenotes and underwater cave systems indicate that the area was populated by Indigenous people 10,000 or more years ago.
Where Is Tulum?
More recently, about 1,500 years ago, it was here, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, that the Maya built a city unlike any other. They called it Zama, which means sunrise or dawn — appropriate for a city facing east across a sweep of glittering sea. Situated in a protected zone just a few miles from the modern city center, the Tulum archaeological site, once ignored and neglected, has now become one of the top Mayan destinations in Mexico. Here's what we know about ancient Tulum.
(Credit: lunamarina/Shutterstock)
While there may be bigger Mayan settlements or sites with more impressive structures — Chichen Itza, for example, or nearby Coba — Tulum was nevertheless an important city, and believed to be the last great settlement built by the Maya.
Its location wasn’t chosen just to enjoy the sunrise or catch the breeze off the Caribbean. Tulum was a port, the only known city that the Maya built on the coast. Historians and archaeologists note that Tulum was a significant hub of trade for land and sea, dealing in such valuable resources as turquoise, jade and obsidian, as well as textiles, ceramics and other commodities.
More:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/where-is-tulum-and-why-was-it-so-important-to-the-ancient-maya
~ ~ ~
10 Best Mayan Ruins Near Tulum
Tulum offers easy access to many ancient ruins from the mysterious Mayan civilization that help tell the story of this lost world with elegant architecture and astounding art. The Mayan civilization was one of the great North American societies, with the most sophisticated writing system of the ancient world.
More:
https://www.hotels.com/go/mexico/best-mayan-ruins-near-tulum
