Calakmul is a Maya archaeological site in the State of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region, only 35 miles north of the Guatemalan border. It was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands.

Calakmul was a major power that administered a large domain marked by the extensive distribution of their emblem glyph of the snake head sign, to be read "Kaan”, for which Calakmul has been dubbed the Snake Kingdom. This kingdom reigned during most of the Classic period (250 A.D. to 900 A.D.). Calakmul itself is estimated to have had a population of 50,000 people and had governance, at times, over places as far away as 90 miles. There are 6,750 ancient structures identified at Calakmul; the largest of which is Structure 2, at over 148 feet high, making it one of the tallest Maya temples. Like many temples in Mesoamerica, Structure 2 increased in size by building upon the existing temple to reach its current height. The size of the central monumental architecture is approximately three quarters of a square mile and the whole of the site, mostly covered with dense residential structures, is about 7.7 square miles. Four tombs have been located within Structure 2 that contained precious art treasures, including jade burial masks that we saw three days before at the Archaeological Museum of Campeche.

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