Komchen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Komchén
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Town
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 Komchen
Location in Yucatán (state)
Komchen
Location in Mexico
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| Country |  Mexico |
| State |  Yucatán |
| Municipality |  Mérida |
| Population
(2005)
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| • Total | 3,778 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| Major Airport | Merida (Manuel Crescencio Rejón) International Airport |
| IATA Code | MID |
| ICAO Code | MMMD |
| Website | Merida |
Komchén is a town located in the Mérida Municipality in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. It is in the southeastern part of the country.
This town is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north of the city of Mérida. It sits in the northwestern area of the Yucatán Peninsula. The coast is only about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away. The name Komchén comes from the Yucatec Mayan language. It means "In the well of the hollow."
Komchén has many useful services for its residents. These include schools like a kindergarten, a primary school, and a high school. There is also a municipal library. The town has a clinic from the Mexican Social Security Institute. You can also find parks and marinas for fun activities. Most of Komchén's streets, about 90%, are paved.
Ancient History of Komchén
Komchén is also home to an ancient Maya site. This site is very old, from a time before Christopher Columbus came to the Americas. It is near another important Maya site called Dzibilchaltun.
The first people settled in Komchén a long time ago. This was during the Middle Preclassic period in Mesoamerica. At first, it was a small village with simple homes made of materials that didn't last long.
Later, during the Late Preclassic period (around 350-150 BC), Komchén grew much bigger. People started building permanent structures using stone. However, the site was completely left empty by about 250 AD. Later on, some people from the growing city of Dzibilchaltun moved back into parts of Komchén.
Archaeological Discoveries
Scientists began studying the Komchén site in the early 1980s. A team from the Middle American Research Institute (MARI) at Tulane University led these studies. They carefully dug up parts of the site to learn about its past.
Their research found almost 1000 ancient homes. These homes covered an area of about 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles). They also discovered five large platforms, which were like big raised areas. The tallest platform was 8 meters (26 feet) high.
The archaeologists also found a sacbe at Komchén. A sacbe is an ancient Maya road or pathway. This one was one of the earliest sacbes ever found in the Yucatán region.
