'Labna' (or 'Labná' in
Spanish orthography) is a
Mesoamerican
archaeological site and ceremonial center of the
pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in the
Puuc Hills region of the
Yucatán Peninsula. It is situated to the south of the large Maya site of
Uxmal, in the southwest of the present-day state of
Yucatán,
Mexico.
The site is a comparatively small and compact one. Among its notable structures is a large two-storey 'palace' (''"El Palacio"''), which is one of the longest contiguous structures in the
Puuc region at approximately 120
m (393.7
ft) in length. From the palace, a ceremonial road (''
sacbe'') extends to an elaborately decorated gateway arch (''"El Arco"''). This structure is 3
m (9.8
ft) wide and 6 m high, with well-reserved
bas-reliefs. Next to this gateway stands ''"El Mirador"'', a
pyramid-like structure surmounted by a temple.
The structural design and motifs of the site's buildings are in the
Maya architecture regional style known as ''
Puuc''. This makes extensive use of well-cut stone forming patterns and depictions, including masks of the long-nosed rain-god
Chaac.
The site was built in the
Late and Terminal Classic era. A date corresponding to AD 862 is inscribed in the palace.
The first written report of Labna was by
John Lloyd Stephens who visited it with artist
Frederick Catherwood in
1842.
The site is open to visitors.
External link
★
Labna-Kiuic Regional Archaeological Project