Oxkintok

16km/10mi from Uxmal on the MEX 261 is the town of Muna, where a road goes off to the west in the direction of Maxcanú. After 25km/16mi on this road the village of Calzehtoc is reached. From here an unmade-up road leads to the caves of Calzehtoc 3km/2mi away. Just before the caves a track goes off for another 4km/2.5mi to the large Maya site of Oxkintok, which is one of the oldest known Maya centres in Yucatán. It is probable that Oxkintok dominated this part of Yucatán from ad 400 to 800, until it was superseded by Uxmal. Excavations have brought to light 22 sizeable buildings and a number of stelae. Most of the finds can be seen in the Museum of Archaeology and History in Mérida. A stone door-lintel has been found, dated a.d. 475 and therefore from the Early Classic period, while the most recent date, found on a stela, is ad 849. The architecture of the buildings corresponds in the Early Classic period to the Petén style, in the Late Classic section to the Puuc style. Calzehtoc and Oxkintok can also both be reached from Mérida and Campeche on the MEX 180 via Maxcanú.