Toniná
Toniná is located some 50km south of Palenque, also in the State of Chiapas. These 2 great Ancient Maya Cities were rivals and constantly fighting each other. In 711AD Toniná attacked Palenque and captured their King, Kan Xul the 2nd, and took him back to their city where he was kept in captivity, and, according to recent Archaelogical evidence, from a sculptured panel at Toniná depicting his severed head, he was eventually beheaded. All the information we have comes from the Epigraphers' deciphering of the Ancient Hieroglyphs on the carvings. The city is situated on a hill (at an elevation of 900m) overlooking the beautiful Ocosingo Valley and it would have been visible from miles around. What makes it unique are the series of steps that run virtually the whole width of the site and rise up in 7 terraces to the temple at the top, giving the effect of a stepped Pyramid.
The City was at its height from 500 - 800 AD. And it was here that, effectively, the Classic Maya Civilisation ended, since Toniná has the distinction of having the last-ever Long Count date 909 AD. In other words this is where the last ever date recorded by the Ancient Mayans has been found.
Much of the site contained plaster (stucco) reliefs and with the damp climate most of them are no longer there. However, half way up, toward the right side of the site is the Mural of the Four Eras believed to have been created sometime between 790 and 840 AD. This stucco relief of four panels represents the four suns (eras) of human history according to Mayan belief. At the centre of each panel is the upside-down head of a decapitated prisoner. Blood spurting from his neck forms a ring of feathers and, at the same time, a sun.
The Wonderful view of the Ocosingo Valley from the terraces. Late afternoon.
Toniná and its 7 Terraces from a couple of miles away - beautiful !