Balamku

Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site located in the Mexican state of Campeche.

[1] It features elaborate plaster facades dating to the Early Classic period.

[4] The architectural style of Balamku has more in common with the Petén tradition to the south, although Río Bec influences are also evident.

[5] Balamku was occupied from about 300 BC, in the Late Preclassic, through to the Terminal Classic period, between 800 and 1000 AD.

[4] The earliest architecture in the site is found in the Central and South Groups, dating to the Late Preclassic to Early Classic transition.

[6] The ruins were discovered in 1990 by Mexican archaeologist Florentino García Cruz in the company of INAH custodians, when they investigated a report of archaeological looting; they found a looters' trench that had partly uncovered a painted stucco frieze that had originally formed part of the upper facade of an Early Classic building.

After initial rescue work, the site was formally excavated in 1994 to 1995 by a team headed by Mexican archaeologist Ramón Carrasco and including two French archaeologists, Claude Baudez and Jean Pierre Courau.

[4] The site features a very low density of peripheral architecture around the principal groups; by 100 metres (330 ft) away there are practically no further buildings.

[4] Test pits have uncovered architectural remains dating back to the Late Preclassic, the earliest phase of operation at the site.