México is covered in archaeological ruins; they can be found in city squares, atop mountains, and in the middle of jungles. They are reminders of the various civilizations that once inhabited the country hundreds and possibly thousands of years ago. Vast amounts of hidden buildings are still waiting to be uncovered in México, but it will take some time before they are fully excavated.

From Monte Albán. Located in Oaxaca, the mountain-top city of Monte Albán has been home to three separate civilizations: the Olmec, the Zapotec, and a group known as the Mixtec.

Surrounded by pointy peaked mountains, Monte Albán rests on an impossibly flat mountain-top. It was expertly leveled by its founding settlers in order to build this elevated city.

Although the Olmec lived in the area first, it was the Zapotec who took on the massive task of leveling the mountain. They began construction on temples, elaborate residences, and drainage systems. From about 500 BCE to 750 CE, Monte Albán served as the cultural, political, and religious capital of the Zapotec civilization.

While there is much to explore at Monte Albán, I was particularly fascinated by the ballcourt. Here, they would have played juego de pelota, an ancient MesoAmerican ball game with strong ritual significance. This sport pitted teams against one another with the goal of putting a rubber ball in a hoop using only their hips. This ritual occasionally determined who would be sacrificed as an offering to the gods; sometimes the winners were sacrificed, since this was considered an honor. As competitive as I am, this is one game I would be happy to lose!

From Uxmal. While most tourists to the Yucatán visit the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá or Tulum, we decided to head to Uxmal. Located in the thick of the jungle, Uxmal was once one of the largest cities in the Yucatán. It thrived between 600 CE and 900 CE and at its peak had a population of around 25,000 people.

At Uxmal, I most enjoyed hearing about the Mayan legend of the Magician’s Pyramid, a central structure in this complex. According to myth, a magical dwarf hatched from an egg, grew into an adult in a single day, and constructed the entire pyramid that night. The pyramid was actually built in the 6th century CE, and was rebuilt five times over a 100 hundred year period.

Uxmal’s civilization began to decline around 1000 CE and was eventually abandoned. Like other jungle ruins, Uxmal remained unknown to the outside world until the 19th century. When it was rediscovered by outsiders in the 1840s, it was in extraordinary condition, a testament to its expert construction designed to stand the test of time.

Head back to Oaxaca and get your hands dirty.

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