TULUM

The archaeological site of Tulum is located on the eastern coast of the state of Quintana Roo, in the region known as the Riviera Maya. The city was formerly known by the Mayan name Zamá (meaning "dawn"), and its current name, Tulum (meaning "wall"), appears to have been used to refer to the city when it was already in ruins. Based on numerous murals and other artifacts found in the city's buildings, Tulum is considered to have been an important center of worship for the so-called "descending god."

The building known as "El Castillo" was very important for Mayan navigators, since, to reach Tulum, they traveled through the open sea parallel to the coral reef. When they sighted "El Castillo," it indicated the moment to take the channel that divided the reef. This was achieved with the help of two windows on the facade of this building, which, when illuminated by natural light or torches at night, indicated the precise moment to turn the boats, thus avoiding colliding with the reef and safeguarding the goods they were transporting. The fauna is dominated by specimens of spoonbills (Anas clypeata), fulva swallows (Hirundo fulva), pectoral sandpipers or striped sandpipers (Calidris melanotos), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), common snipe (Gallinago gallinago), howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra), anteaters (Tamandua mexicana), armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), squirrels (Sciurus yucatanensis) or specimens of pocket gophers (Orthogeomys hispidus).