Yucatan - November 2008
Sayil
South Palace

The South Palace is quite a ways past the Temple of the Hieroglyphic Doorjamb.  It is not as elaborate as the North Palace.  Again, I did not feel much from this temple.  It is located way into the jungle.  It is small for a Palace and reminds me of the Temple of the Columns at Kabah.


According to the INAH Plaque accompanying this temple, the South Palace had 2 levels and 18 vaulted rooms in the interior and 4 more rooms above (which are almost totally destroyed).  The principal facade faces east toward the Ball Court and the extreme south of the Saq Be (white road).  The Mayans decorated the South Palace with columns or junquillos with cords in the lower part of the wall of the eastern facade and with 3 larger columns, also with cords, to each side of the central doorway and at each corner.  The decoration of the upper facade has columns with cords along its entire width, as well as masks at the corners at the center of the eastern facade and possibly the western facade as well.  The archaeologists call this architectural style Puuc Junquillo, which the Mayans used during the end of the Late Classic Period (800-1000 A.D.).

The front of the South Palace at Sayil
The left side of the South Palace
The back side of the South Palace