East Coast of Quintana Roo

The East Coast of Quintana Roo is an archaeological region of the Maya culture located on the eastern coast of the state of Quintana Roo and the island of Cozumel in Mexico bordering the Caribbean Sea. The region is characterized by a unique architectural style with shared archaeological elements by the sites along the coast, its most representative features are the temples with circular columns carved with sculptures, shrines, murals, ports and defensive walls. The East Coast of Quintana Roo developed during the Post-classic period of the Maya civilization until the arrival and encounter with the Spanish conquistadors between the years 1200 and 1550 AD. The sites are built on the shores of the Caribbean Sea on beach coves between lagoons and mangroves, a geographical location that turned the cities into major commercial ports connected by an extensive coastal maritime trade network. The geography of the region was also a significant aspect within Maya mythology, the ocean was venerated and ceremonial temples and shrines were built across the region to different deities mainly to the goddess Ixchel, such as the one located on Cozumel island, which became sacred Maya pilgrimage centers for the pre-Hispanic inhabitants.

The Maya sites of the East Coast are: Tulum, Xelha, Xcaret, Muyil, El Meco, El Rey, Tankah, Chakalal, Tupak, Chamax, Xaman Há, San Gervasio, Xlahpak (or Vigía de

Archaeological site data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).