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Classical Mayan civilization collapsed more than 500 years before the arrival of the Spanish. In the sixteenth century, the Mayan cities of Yucatan were already abandoned ruins, hidden by jungle.
The ruins of many ancient cities have Mayan names, but these names very often differ from the original names of the Classic period. Many were known at the time of the Spanish Conquest, but some are relatively modern. Although the ancient Mayan script has been deciphered, more or less, in many cases, the original name of an ancient city remains unknown, or uncertain.
The origin and meaning of several famous place names are listed below. The traditional spelling is indicated in black letters. The spelling recommended by Mayan Language Academy of Guatemala (Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala) is shown in blue. The pronunciation is given in brackets, in some cases.
Please note: There are 30 languages in the Mayan language family. Among them, the Yucatec language has the most speakers; approximately 800,000. Many call the Yucatec language 'the Mayan language', but on this page, 'Mayan' doesn't necessarily mean 'Yucatec'.
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Tikal
Tik'al
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This Mayan name means 'Place of Voices'. The ancient name of the city was Mutul, whose meaning is unknown. |
| Uaxactún
Waxaktun
(Washaktoon)
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An American archeologist, Dr. Morley, named this location in 1916. Waxaktun means 'Eight-stone' in Mayan. Morley chose this name because he found a stone with an early date written on it (8th bak'tun), and, less seriously, because the name sounds like 'Washington'. |
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Caracol
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A Spanish name (not Mayan!) which means 'Snail'. According to some sources, the road to the location turns like a snail's shell. The classical Mayan name is not known. |
| Kaminaljuyú
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(Kaminalhooyoo)
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A government minister of Guatemala, Villacorta, named these ruins in 1935. In the Quiché language, the name means 'Hills of the Dead'. The ancient name is unknown. |
| Uxmal
Uxmal
(Ooshmal)
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This name means 'Thrice Built', a reference to the famous pyramid with rounded edges. According to archeologists, the pyramid was in fact heightened five times. The original name of this city is not known. |
| Kabáh
K'abah
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A Mayan name which may mean 'Strong Hand'. |
| Sayil
Sayil
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A Mayan name meaning 'Place of Ants'. |
| Dzibilchaltún
Tz'ibilchaltun
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In the Yucatec language, this name means 'Place where there is Writing on Stones'. The ancient name is unknown. |
| Chichén Itzá
Chich'en Itza
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This Mayan name means 'Mouth of the Well of the Itzas'. The 'well' is the famous Sacred Cenote, where the Maya offered valuables, even people, to their rain god Chaak. The Itzas were a tribe of Maya who found the city and made it their capital during the Post-Classic period. The classical name of the city may have been Uukil Abnal, which means 'Seven Bushes'. |
| Palenque
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(Palenkay)
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Named after a nearby town. Palenque is a Spanish word which means 'Palisade'. (A palisade is a wooden fence for defense.) According to many sources, the original name of the Mayan city was Lakam Ha, meaning 'Great Water'. Other sources say that the name may have been Na Chan Kan (City of Snakes). |
| Bonampac / Bonampak
Bonampak'
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Another ruin named by Dr. Morley. In 1946, Lacandon Maya revealed this location and its priceless wall paintings to an American photographer, Giles Healy. Dr. Morley chose a Mayan name which means 'Painted Walls'. |
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