Labna

Welcome, intrepid explorers and scholars, to the breathtaking and wonderfully isolated ancient Maya city of Lahb-nah. Translating directly from the local Maya dialect to mean 'Old House,' this site is an absolute masterpiece of…

We commence our focused exploration at the most massive structure on the site: the Grand Palace. Stretching an impressive four hundred feet in length, this multi-level edifice is one of the largest ancient Maya structures in the…

Let us step cautiously closer to examine the interior structures and the vital engineering hidden within the palace complex. While much of the second and third stories have sadly collapsed into rubble, archaeological surveys…

Before we leave the palace complex, we must examine a specific, extraordinary piece of sculpture located on the eastern corner of the building. Resting atop three stone columns is a deeply unsettling and brilliantly carved piece…

We now depart the palace and begin our walk down the wide, elevated pathway known as the 'Sahk-beh,' which literally translates to 'White Road.' As you step onto this raised causeway, you will notice it is composed of heavy stone…

At the southern terminus of the white road, we arrive at the absolute architectural zenith of Lahb-nah: the world-renowned structure simply known as 'El Arco,' or The Arch. When nineteenth-century American explorer John Lloyd…

Our final architectural stop is the towering pyramid structure located just south of the palace, known as El Mirador, or The Lookout. Unlike the meticulously restored arch and palace, this grand pyramid remains largely covered in…

As our comprehensive scholarly expedition through the 'Old House' concludes, take a final moment to stand before the elegant, crumbling perfection of El Arco. We have traversed a city defined by brilliant adaptation, from the…