Dzibilchaltún Revisited

The Temple of the Seven Dolls or La Casa de las Siete Muñecas is named for the seven figurines found here during its excavation. The platform or base of this temple is one of the oldest known conserved structures in the Yucatán. The roofs and walls of this and the other pre-classic buildings on site were made of uncut rocks, with a clay or mud mortar. Post-classic constructions, as evidenced in the temple on top, were cut rocks held together with a lime based cement.


This is the doorway that we were looking into on the morning of the equinox. There is another room inside the area I am standing in. All the doors and windows are aligned to face cardinal points and their orientation coincides with light and shade associated with solstices and equinoxes.

The first set of ruins you see behind me is part of the Group of the Seven Dolls. On the morning of the equinox the sun shone through the door and lit up a perfect golden square against its wall.

Another great aspect of the above photo is the view of a typical sacbé, or causeway, found at most Mayan ruins. Some of these causeways connect the cities themselves and have existed for centuries. There are usually causeways within the cities and ceremonial centers also.



It is believed that the Temple of the Seven Dolls was never used as a residence, but instead artisans worked inside creating among other things offerings required for rituals