Group C Palenque

This group is near from the Bano de Reina. It is in the east section of Palenque between the Bat and the Balunte creeks. These group cosists of various plazzas and buildings. Some of the vaults standing. The buildings have a rectangular layout an narrow corridors. The archaeologist found several human burials in this group also an abundance of ceramic and lithic material. The group dated to 750 – 800 A.D.

East of the North Group, on the main path that crosses the Otulum river, and 70 meters beyond the stream making a path to the right will take you into Group C. A set of buildings built around plazas on different levels is where the elite lived, from about 750 to 800 AD. The neighbourhood, throughout the complex, has large trees now growing from these buildings. But strong ancestor rituals took place here, with several bone remains found under several of the structures in this place. There is evidence of domestic activity collected by archaeologists at the site. There we may get an idea of what the whole site must have looked like before it was reconstructed. If you stay on the main path you will find it keeps going down to a group of low, elongated buildings, thought to have been occupaied residetially a little later, around 770 AD until around 850. The river now tumbles down a series of bathing pools, known as the Bano de la Reina or the Queen's BAths.

The Path continues to yet another residential quarter, the Bat Group, then crosses the Bat Bridge, which is a suspension footbridge across the Otulum stream, which becomes a series of cascading falls and pools... Across the bridge and a bit further down a path goes west to Groups 1 and 2, a short walk uphill. These ruins only partly uncovered , are in a beautiful jungle setting. The main path continues downriver to the road, where the museum is along to the right, a short distance away.

The whole city was disposed as an extended complex of recincts and platforms distributed around patios and our tour of the site ends here, to form ourselves an idea of an area covering 17 square kilometers, which was a residential complex around the city, where the people lived...

Group C is located to the east to the Palace, on a flat area just above the east bank of the Murcielagos River. The group has more than 60 buildings but only 6 of them are excavated. This structures are arranged around the group´s largest plaza, called the Main Plaza.

A small staircase leads south up a natural slope from this plaza to a terrace platform where several unexcavated structures were built. However the most impressive structures of Group C face upon the main plaza, and lakely played important functional roles within the group. It appears that Group C was accessed from the Palenque ceremonial center by a stone bridge crossing the Murcielagos River, and a large series of terraces and stairways, implying the prominence of this residents. The construction methods of this structures, as well as associated ceramics, date to the ende of the Late Classic period at Palenque (720-800 b.C.)

Located in the southwest corner of the main plaza facing north, Structure C1 consisted of a stepped pyramid substructure (approximately 3m high), compossed of three terraces, and a perishable superstructure. The superstructure was accessed by a wide, four-to five step, stone stairway.

While the eastern edge of the main plaza is mark by a large stairway, a 2.15m high terrace wall built on bedrock delineates its southeast corner. Upon the raised platform created by this stairway and terrace was built Structure C2 to the south, and structures C3, C4 and C5 to the east. Structures C3 and C5 are 4.70m and 6.20 high, respectively, stepped masonry pyramids with inset corners. Between this two earlier structuresStructure C4 was built overlapping their subestructures. Perishable accessed by step stairways on the west subestructure faces were likely located at the summit of all three structures. These three buildings likely served as lineage shrines for the residents of Group C.

Structure C2 is a rather single range-complex in comparision to Group IV Structure J1. The lower story consists of two parallel galleries built on a 0.41m high basal platform. Once vaulted to a height of 3.60m, most of the roof has since collapsed along much of the west end of the structure. Secondary construction walls divide each gallery into four rooms. Though four doorways pierce the facade of Structure C2, the northeast room could also be accessed by a small doorway on the east. The two galleries are connected by a doorway vault that was later sealed. From the southeast room, a vaulted passage and staircase lead to an upper story, constructed of perishable materials. A stairway to the east of Structure C2 likewise ascends to the level of the upper story.

Structure C6 is another range-complex associated with the main plaza of Group C. A large multi-chambered building, Structure C6 is constructed on a basal platform 25cm above the main plaza. The southern section of Structure C6 is composed of two parallel vault galleries, now collapsed, running east-west. The southern facade of structure is pierced by four doorways. Two doorways lead up a 35cm step from the southern gallery to that of the north. A large stone bench is located in the northwest corner of this rear gallery. At the east and west ends of these double galleries, separate galleries ran perpendicularly to the north, altough the gallery to the west is poorly preserved. Along roughly the primary axis of the southern section of Structure C6 a vaulted staircase ascended to an upper-story seemingly built over solid fill. This poorly preserved upper level consists of two parallel galleries divided into a series of small private chambers, many of wich contain small stone benches. The architectural parallels between this structure and the so-called “dormitory residences” at Copan and other Maya sites are striking.

The structures that surround the main plaza are similar to several of Group IV which indicates that both groups lodged people of similar estatus. The architectural facts of both groups suggests its residents belonged to the elite.