Cuca (Maya site) facts for kids

An ancient building at the Cuca archaeological site in Yucatán.

Cuca is the name of an amazing ancient Maya site in Mexico. It's located near a town called Tixpéhual in Yucatán. This special place shows us how the Maya people lived a very long time ago, even before Christopher Columbus arrived!

The Cuca site covers an area of about 10 hectares. That's like 25 football fields! All over this area, you can find dozens of old buildings and their remains. A low wall surrounds the whole site. One of the most interesting parts is a big hill that holds an important temple. If you look closely, you can still see parts of old paintings on its walls!

A special ancient road, called a sacbé, runs through the Cuca site. This road connected Cuca to the town of Tixpéhual and the old city of T'Hó (which is now Mérida, the capital of Yucatán). This connection happened during the Postclassic period, a time when the Maya civilization was still thriving.

Exploring the Ancient City of Cuca

Cuca is a fascinating place to learn about the Maya. When you visit, you can imagine what life was like thousands of years ago. The buildings and the sacbé tell stories of a busy and important community.

What is a Sacbé?

A sacbé (pronounced sah-KBEH) is an ancient white road built by the Maya people. These roads were often raised and paved with white limestone, making them easy to see and travel on. They connected different cities and important sites, helping people move around and trade goods. The sacbé at Cuca shows how connected this site was to other Maya centers.

Images for kids

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  Ancient Maya remains at Cuca.

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  Another view of the Maya ruins at Cuca.

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  Stone structures at the Cuca site.

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  A closer look at the Cuca archaeological site.

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  More ancient buildings found at Cuca.

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  Exploring the historical remnants of Cuca.

See also

• Learn about the town and farm of Cucá in Tixpéhual, Yucatán

In Spanish: Kukab para niños