Valladolid Adventures Part 19: A wild ride through the Mexican imagination at Casa de los Venados

"Hi there! Come right in!" This fantastical greeter stands near the entrance. Despite all those fangs and claws and the voracious expression, the bright, whimsical flowers somewhat blunt the effect. Casa de los Venados (House of the Deer) contains one of the preeminent collections of Mexican folk art and it was one of our "must-see" places during our Valladolid explorations. Carole and I have been fans of Mexican folk art since we began our life here and we were eager to check this place out.

Folk art is defined as the art of a specific culture or region. It is created by self-taught or community-trained artists, and reflects the traditions, customs and daily life of a community. This form of art is dynamic, can be decorative or utilitarian, and may change over time.  Some of the hand-made art objects can be used in daily life, while others may be reserved for important ceremonies. 

Overview

Google satellite view showing how to get there. Calle 40 (40th St) runs along the east side of Valladolid's main plaza, called Parque Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado. On the map above, Calle 40 is shown as Highway 295. It runs one-way to the north on the east side of the Parque (and one-way to the south on the west side). Casa de los Venados is located about 50m (164ft) south of the southeast corner of the Parque, (see red marker). The address is Calle 40 #204.

Our host and his fierce watch-puppy. Casa de los Venados is actually a private residence belonging to John and Dorianne Venator. They spent 35 years collecting more than 3000 pieces of folk art while traveling around Mexico. About 23 years ago, they started looking for a place for vacations and retirement and Valladolid's laid-back atmosphere attracted them. One day, while walking around near the plaza, John found the house of their dreams. I say "dreams" because the 17th century colonial-era mansion was pretty dilapidated at the time. It must have taken considerable imagination to see what could be made of it. 

The Venators allow 1-hour, pre-scheduled tours every day between 10 AM and 1 PM. The phone is (985) 856-2289.  Plan to arrive a few minutes early, since tours start right on time. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of at least $100 pesos (approximately $5.00 USD). This goes to local charities and to help maintain the property. A very friendly and knowledgeable Mexican named Freddy was our guide. Tours can be conducted in either English or Spanish. I never did learn the name of the little terrier, but he was a cutie and enjoyed having his chin scratched.

A few examples of the amazing folk art in Casa de los Venados

A colorful, hand-made deer head decorated one wall. Venados (deer) are sacred to many of Mexico's native cultures, most particularly the Wixaritari (known to the Spanish as the Huicholes). They venerate deer, corn, eagles, and peyote. The Wixaritari are a Nahuatl-speaking tribe that migrated south from the northern deserts in pre-hispanic times. When Spanish conquistador Nuñez de Guzman Beltran passed through their area, the Wixaritari fled into the mountains to avoid being massacred or enslaved. Today the center of their culture is the mountainous intersection of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states.

This monkey appears ready to leap from the wicker lamp. He may be of the Howler Monkey species. We saw many of them when we visited the jungles of southern Yucatan and Costa Rica. Monkeys were associated with Ehecatl, the God of Wind and were kept as pets by the ancient Zapotecs and Aztecs. I found the creature's appearance and posture to be remarkably accurate. The lamp was clearly crafted by a gifted artist who is familiar with this kind of animal. I'm not sure how comfortable I would be using this as a reading lamp, knowing that this guy was about to leap onto my head at any moment.  

An alert jaguar mom glares at a possible threat to her kitten.  Jaguars are another animal that was important to pre-hispanic people in Mexico and Central America. The early Olmecs (1500 BC - 400 BC) revered the animal and carved many stone images of them. Because the jaguar hunts at night, it was believed to freely pass between the world of the living and that of Xibalba (the underworld). As a powerful predator it was also associated with warfare and the cult of the jaguar warriors and with royalty.

An unusual dog crouches under a table. The figure has the body of a slender dog, but the face of a human with a blonde mustache and goatee. The art of indigenous people in colonial times often depicted Spaniards with blonde hair and beards. This creature seens to carry on that tradition. Pre-hispanic art also contains many depictions of anthropomorphic (part human) animals. This tradition dates back thousands of years to Olmec stone carvings of "were-jaguars", which depicted human children with jaguar faces.

Anyone need a hand in telling the time? This is one of the most unusual clocks I have ever encountered. Standing on human feet and legs of carved wood, the clock shows the time with its human hands and fingers. Extra fingers are added for each hour until they total twelve. I have always enjoyed the quirky sense of humor of Mexico's artists.

A catrina sits demurely on a chair, with an umbrella between her knees. This is one of the classic Mexican skeleton figures known as a catrina. Across from her, out of sight, is a catrin, a seated male figure wearing a top hat. Catrins and catrinas were the invention of a 19th century political cartoonist named Guadalupe Posada. 

He drew the figures to lampoon Mexico's nouveax riche class during the rule of the dictator Porfirio Diaz (1876-1911). This got him into hot water, requiring him to flee his hometown of Aguascalientes to Mexico City. Catrins and catrinas are still popular, especially during the Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead).

A skeletal indigenous dancer wears a deer's head and carries a rattle in each hand. He also has sets of rattles around his lower legs. His posture is very realistic and I could almost hear the rhythmic drumming to which he is dancing. The artistic use of skeletons, as well as individual human bones and skulls, is still another tradition that dates far back into  pre-hispanic times. The ancient people used to de-flesh skulls and decorate them with turquoise mosaics. The bones of dead relatives were sometimes carved into daily household utensils as a way of keeping a connection with the deceased person.

A two-headed statue wears a dress decorated with an assortment of dolls and flowers.. The two faces resemble that of the artist Frida Kahlo, who was married to Diego Rivera, one of Mexico's foremost muralists. Together, they were at the center of the artistic explosion that occurred in Mexico during the 1920s-40s. Frida Kahlo loved to wear traditional Mexican outfits and to decorate herself with flowers and other objects. 

A seated skeleton peruses a magazine while wearing rather fancy sunglasses. A newspaper is lying on the table, ready for his attention when he finishes the magazine. Perhaps he symbolizes the fate of someone waiting in the office of one of Mexico's notoriously slow government bureaucracies. He looked friendly enough, but we didn't want to disturb his concentration, so we quietly tiptoed away. The artist must have had a good time putting this scene together.

Wildly decorated masks are another Mexican artistic specialty. On this one, two faces share three eyes. Along with the eyes, the faces also share maniacally jolly expressions. Instead of hair, the head is surmounted by an owl with its wings extended. The sides of the head are framed by four writhing, grinning snakes. Owls and snakes are animals associated with important gods of several pre-hispanic cultures. Other amazing examples of masks can be seen in my blog postings about various indigenous dance festivals and at several of Mexico's mask museums that we have visited. 

A snarling jaguar head forms the left arm-piece of this chair. The beautifully carved chair is one of a pair. The other has a similar snarling head on its right arm-piece. Sculpture in wood and stone is a very ancient artistic skill in Mexico. The Spanish conquistadors destroyed the civilizations they found when they landed in the New World. Assisting them in this were the Franciscan friars and those of various other evangelical Orders, who were bent on eradicating "devil worship". However, the ancient skills often survived, although they sometimes had to be practiced covertly, in order to escape the wrath of the oppressors.

A very lifelike mannequin stands erect, dressed for an indigenous dance. The face and arms are painted in elaborate patterns. On his head, the dancer wears a broad brimmed hat constructed from paper mache.  A cascade of colorful ribbons flows down from the hat's rim. Carole and I have attended many indigenous festivals, including parades and dances. Native people have worked hard to keep these traditions alive.

This completes Part 19 of my Valladolid Adventures series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely fashion.

Hasta luego, Jim

 

Valladolid Adventures Part 18: Ex-Convento de Kikil's cloister and exterior features

 

Arcade and portales at the entrance to Ex-Convento de Kikil's cloister. In the foreground, an old stone watering trough now serves as a planter. This is the best-preserved section of the Ex-Convento. In the previous posting (Part 17), we looked at the ruins of Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the Ex-Convento's church. It was built by the Franciscans in 1584 to serve the friars and those they evangelized. In this part, I will show you some of the cloister area, where the friars lived and worked. We'll also take a look at some of the exterior features of the church, and the work area that lies behind the cloister.

The Cloister

Front view of the cloister. The church is attached to the cloister's right end, at a 90 degree angle. The cloister was built in 1576, eight years before the church.  Typical activities occurring in the cloister included prayer and meditation, study and reading, manual labor, education for novices, informal conversations and recreation, and various rituals and ceremonies. It also contained the friars' cells (personal spaces/bedrooms) and a refectory for dining. In addition to its other purposes, the Ex-Convento also functioned as a civil registry, because facilities for civil administration were scarce.

The cloister, viewed from the left. On the right is the massive wall of the Templo. Today, the cloister contains a small museum. Unfortunately, no one was around when we visited. Consequently, we didn't realize the museum even existed until I did some later research for this posting. The museum is reported to contain pre-hispanic artifacts, including a replica of a Chac Mool. This is a large stone carving of a human figure reclining on its back with a bowl for blood on its stomach. Chac Mools are closely associated with human sacrifice.

The museum also contains colonial era items. These include an original church bell made of copper and tin and weighing about 150 kilos (331 lbs). In addition, there are a couple of weapons used during the Spanish Conquest of Mexico and some wooden steps made of zapote (sapodilla wood). The steps are the remains of a staircase that once led to the church's campanario (bell tower).

View of the cloister's arcade from the left end. The door at the end of the arcade appears to lead into the Templo. Notice the vigas (wooden rafters) on the ceiling of the arcade. These appear to be part of the original construction. I have seen the same sort of rafters at other early colonial sites, including in the front arcade of Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, in Valladolid. The windows contain wooden bars which may also be original. A series of chandeliers hang from the ceiling. They would have once been lit by candles, but probably contain electric bulbs today.

Exterior features of the Templo

One of the Templo's windows, high on its side wall.. Just inside the window, there appears to be a passageway between the exterior and interior walls. I didn't notice the passageway until I closely examined this photograph. During later research, I found mention of hidden passages within the church. 

The walls of the Templo are largely unadorned. The high walls give the church the aspect of a fortress. This is not accidental. Churches often became the place of refuge for people fleeing attackers. These might be Maya rebels, pirates, bandits, or military units in one of Mexico's many internal conflicts. The high, thick walls and heavy doors of a church could offer protection and a good place for defense against assaults. Templo San Servacio, the Franciscan church in Valladolid, actually has gun slits on the two towers that frame its entrance. Half-way along the wall is one of the Templo's two side doors.

One of the nave's niches, seen through the side door. This is the doorway on the eastern wall of the Templo, seen in the previous photo. The thick walls are made of rough limestone chunks that were mortared together with sascab. This naturally-occurring powdered lime, when mixed with honey, was often used for mortar during pre-hispanic and early colonial times. The thickness of the walls enabled their height, as well as keepng the church cool during hot weather. Niches like the one above were once filled with statues of saints or other sacred figures. 

Window with wooden bars in the Templo's rear wall. I originally thought this was a door, because of how tall it is. Then I noticed similar windows along the wall in the arcade. The lack of hinges or latches normally appearing on a door was a further indication that this is a window. There must have once been internal shutters to keep out wind and rain. Such shutters would also have served for security, because I am doubtful that wooden bars like this would have withstood a determined assailant. 

This opening in the Templo's rear leads into the ruins of the apse containing the altar. In the lower right are the remains of a small room that connects the apse with the cloister. This was probably the sacristy, where the ceremonial clothing of the priest was stored. There are reports that Ex-Convento de Kikil is inhabited by paranormal spirits. According to locals, these are none-threatening, intelligent energies that once belonged to friars who were massacred at the Ex-Convento. The killings probably occurred when it was sacked during the beginning stages of the great Maya revolt known as the Caste War (1848-1915).

Outside work areas

Google satellite view of the cloister and the outside work area. The cloister is the light-colored rectangular building. In the center of the photo's right side, you can see a circle of stone, with a smaller stone structure in its center. Vegetation traces a path from the bottom right of the cloister to the stone circle, indicating an important relationship. This whole area would have been the location for many of the manual tasks necessary for the day-to-day functioning of the Ex-Convento. The area in the upper right is the beginning of fields that would have grown the crops required to feed the friars and their Maya workers.

The circular stone structure may be the ruins of a noria. The stone wall is about 1.2m (4ft) tall and circles an area about 15m (50ft) across. Above the wall, you can see a stone structure in the center. I was mystified by the stone circle when I photographed it. Then, I researched the noria (waterwheel) ruins at Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, I now believe that these are the ruins of Ex-Convento de Kikil's noria. Above-ground water is scarce in northern Yucatan, except beneath the limestone surface. A cenote (sinkhole filled with water) is in the general area, but not close to the Ex-Convento. A well was needed.

Stone pit in the middle of the noria. This is probably the ruins of the well. From this, the noria extracted water for drinking, cooking, washing, and to nourish the plants that the friars were growing for food. The stone shaft in the upper left would have been part of the mechanism's structure. Norias were very common at Yucatan's conventos and haciendas from the 16th century until well into the 20th. A yoked burro would have trudged around the inside of the the circular stone wall, pulling a beam that turned the waterwheel in the center. For more information on colonial norias, and a diagram of how they worked, see Part 11.

This unidentified structure may have been a colonial-era furnace. The area behind the arched opening is quite shallow. This leads me to believe that it may have once been a large furnace, used for some 17th century industrial purpose. Another mystery is the standing stone about 7m (20ft) from the entrance arch. Standing stones at pre-hispanic sites are common and usually served as monuments to a ruler or an event. However, this stone's purpose and possible relation to the "furnace" remains unclear. 

This completes Part 18 of my Valladolid Adventures series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Valladolid Adventures Part 17: The ruins of the Franciscan Ex-Convento de Kikil

 

The front entrance of the Convento de Kikil's church, looking out. The thick walls and old wood rafters show the age of the Franciscan Convento's ruins. Carole and I discovered this place by accident, while returning from our visit to the north coast of Yucatan (see previous posting). As anyone who follows my blog knows, I am a sucker for old ruins and couldn't resist exploring this unexpected and mysterious site.

Convento de Kikil is not as large, nor is it as intact, as Convento de San Bernardino de Siena (see Parts 9-15 of this series). However, it is still impressive and worth a short stop to inspect it. The former cloister (see my next posting) is the most intact part of the site, but it was closed when we visited. I only discovered later that the cloister now contains a museum with artifacts from the Convento's history as well as some pre-hispanic objects. Consequently, I don't have any photos of the museum's contents.

Overview

Google map of the route. Proceed due north on Highway 295 from Valladolid to Kikil. The distance is about 58km (36mi). Highway 295 splits just north of Kikil, with the left fork going to San Felipe and the right to Rio Lagartos. The Convento's ruins are on the right side of the road, about 100m (100yds) before you reach the fork. According to a legend about the pueblo's name, it derives from k'i'ik', the Yucatec Mayan word for blood. The story, says that a priest was once beheaded in the nave of the church. It is also possible that the name comes from k'i'ik' che', the name of a local rubber tree.

Convento de Kikil, as it appears from the road. The large rectangular structure on the right is Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria and it was constructed in 1584. Another source calls it Templo San Román, but I find this name unlikely because San Román was martyred during the Cristero War (1926-29) long after the Convento was abandoned. In addition, some sources claim the Convento wasn't constructed until the middle of the 18th century. However the building style is much more like that of 16th century Franciscan structures.

The building is quite massive, measuring 65m (213.25 ft) long and 15m (49.2 ft) wide. Kikil's population is only about 200, and it was even tinier in the 16th century. To build such a large church, the Franciscan friars must have been very ambitious about their possibilities for evangelism. The cloister is the one-story structure on the left where the friars lived and worked. It was constructed in 1576, preceding the church by eight years. 

Google satellite view of the Convento. The Templo is the long structure (see the red marker) on the lower left, extending back from the parking area. The cloister is the light-colored structure extending at a right-angle from the Templo's other end. The exterior working area (shown in next posting) is behind the cloister to the right. At the far right is a low, circular stone structure that may be the remains of a noria (waterwheel). The area in the upper right is farmland that may have once been cultivated to support the friars and their Convento.

Templo de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria

The facade and front entrance of the Templo are rather plain. This is typical of colonial Mexico's 16th century Franciscan churches. It fitted the rather austere outlook and lifestyle of the Franciscan Order of that period. Above the arched entrance is the choir window. The long crack in the wall is probably from natural deterioration rather than earthquake damage. There is very little tectonic activity in northeastern Yucatan. The stonework at the top of the building's left corner differs from other parts of the facade, indicating a later addition. The most likely possibility is that it was once the base of a campanario (belltower). 

Two plain pilasters support the arch over the entrance. Unlike the rough stone used for the church's walls, the pilasters are of cut stone. This arrangement was typical of the late 16th century stone buildings that replaced the early adobe-and-thatch structures of the first part of the century. These pilasters are load-bearing, while others in the church pilasters are only decorative. Just inside the entrance are two niches which once contained statues of saints or other sacred figures.

Wooden rafters once supported the choir loft, just inside the entrance. The rafters show evidence of charring, indicating that the church was destroyed by fire, probably during the Caste War (1848-1915). That may also have been the occasion when the priest was beheaded. Despite the fire damage, you can still see the carefully carved undersides of the rafters. Decorative details like this can often be found in colonial religious structures, even in areas of a structure that are hard to see with the naked eye. The roof line has developed quite a lot of vegetation, adding to the overall sense of antiquity.

Looking down the length of the nave toward where the apse used to be. The apse is the curved end of a nave where the main alter is located. All that remains here is just open space. There are four empty niches visible, two on either wall. They are separated by two doorways, one either side of the mid-section of the church. The floor, which was once tiled, is now covered by grass and weeds. Much of the original lime plaster still covers the walls.

Detail of one of the nave's niches and a pilaster. The niche was probably filled with one of the many Franciscan saints, perhaps one who was martyred. It could even have contained a statue of San Francisco (St. Francis) himself. Although plain in design, the pilaster is carefully carved, unlike the rough stones in the walls. As with many pilasters, it does not support any weight, but is just a decorative element. 

View from the apse area back toward the entrance and choir window. The roof apparently collapsed during a hurricane in 1920. Over time, looters have dug holes in the walls. Other holes in the nave were dug by graverobbers looking for valuables in the tombs below the floor. Efforts to prevent further deterioration began in 2020. 

Plans for renovation of the decayed structure have been submitted by a committee of local citizens. However, the federal Maya Train Project put things on hold. In addition, there is a dispute over who controls the Convento's ruins. The disagreement is between the local committee, which is backed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), and local government officials. 

One of the two side doors of the nave. Thick walls were necessary because outside buttresses were not used for support. The walls' rough limestone chunks were held in place with mortar made from sascab and honey. Sascab is a powder from decayed limestone that was widely used for mortar from pre-hispanic times through the colonial era. Quarried limestone was sometimes crushed and burned, along with animal bones, to create mortar. However, when it was available, sascab was the preferred material. It didn't require burning and the consequent necessity of large scale woodcutting to feed the fires.

This completes Part 17 of my Valladolid Adventures series. In Part 18, I will show you the cloister and some of the Convento de Kikil's external features, including its work areas. I hope you have enjoyed this posting. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email so that I may respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim

Valladolid Adventures Part 16: A day-trip to Yucatan's north coast

Homenaje al Pescador ("Homage to the Fisherman"). This statue on the malecón celebrates San Felipe's long history as a fishing port on Yucatan's north coast. The blowing palms show the strong, chilly wind off the ocean that was blowing. During the winter months, when we visited, Yucatan's coastal areas can be surprisingly cool and breezy. San Felipe's population is 1,838, but the town looked bigger when we drove into it. It sits at the mouth of an estuary that is part of the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, which has concentrations of pink flamingos similar to those at Celestún, on Yucatan's west coast.

We went on this adventure to see what  the area to the north of Valladolid had to offer. In this posting, I'll show a bit of San Felipe and its malecón (waterfront) lined with fishing boats. During our drive back to Valladolid, we briefly visited the small city of Timizin, with its historic Parroquia de los Tres Reyes (Church of the Three Kings). Near Tizimin, we also discovered and explored the ruins of the Franciscan Ex-Convento de Kikil.  However, that will be covered in the following two postings.

Overview

Google satellite map of northern Yucatan showing our route. We took Highway 295, a libre (free) road that proceeds due north from Valladolid. At Kikil, a short distance north of Timizin, the road splits, with the right fork going to Rio Lagartos and the left going to San Felipe. The two pueblos are about 11km (6.8mi) apart along the north coast. When you reach San Felipe, stay on the same road all the way to the malecón. The length of the trip (one way) is 107km (66.5mi) and it takes a little less than two hours. The country you pass through is flat and covered with farmland and forests. Traffic was light during our drive. 

The fishing port of San Felipe

The pier near the statue has a palm-frond palapa at its end. I was impressed by the town's general sense of prosperity. All of the boats I saw looked in good condition, with large, powerful motors mounted on their sterns. Everything, including the boats and the town itself, seemed clean and well-kept. Notice the land that lines the horizon in the background. This is part of a long, narrow east-to-west spit of land that forms the northern part of the bay and protects both San Felipe and Rio Lagartos from the open ocean beyond. The land spit is part of the Biosphere Reserve. 

View from the pier's palapa back toward the malecón. The palm fronds show the powerful winds that buffeted us. Restaurants, stores, and hotels line the shore along the malecón. Many of San Felipe's homes and other structures were originally built with varnished cedar which could resist the moist salt air. However, they couldn't withstand the force of Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which destroyed a lot of them. It was apparently so powerful that even the protection of the land spit didn't save them.

Looking west along the palm-lined malecón. Each of these boats has its own name. The one in the foreground is called "Aremy K". Notice the horizon in the upper right. That is the mouth of the bay and beyond is the Gulf of Mexico (NOT "America"). The shore of what is now San Felipe was first visited 200 years ago by Maya fishermen from Santa Clara or Dzilam Bravo. According to legend, they sought shelter during bad weather. Looking for fresh water, they followed the sound of the native Chuleb birds and found a spring which they called Akta Chuleb ("Ahead of Chuleb").

The view toward the east shows more boats and piers. Although the wind was chilly, the day was sparkling clear, and sunny. Above-ground water is scarce in Yucatan, but with the discovery of the Akta Chuleb spring, it became possible to establish a temporary fishing camp. As more and more Maya visited, they discovered good land for farming and hunting. Some brought their families and settled permanently. At an unknown time, Akta Chuleb was given the new name of San Felipe, to honor the Franciscan martyr San Felipe de Jesus. My bet is that it happened when the the first friars arrived, because that was their usual practice. 

Restaurant El Popular Vaselina is located where the pier meets the malecón. The restaurant is covered by a thatched palapa and its sign has lobsters on either end dressed as waiters. Not surprisingly, its specialty is seafood.  San Felipe has many good restaurants and several inexpensive hotels along its waterfront. Although we didn't stay long, (Carole doesn't care for windy places) the town has plenty to do. In addition to strolling along the malecón waterfront, boats can be hired to fish or to visit the Biosphere Reserve and an archeological site. San Felipe has a very laid-back atmosphere. Hopefully, it is not yet overrun by tourists.

Tizamin de los Reyes

A statue commemorating motherhood shows seated woman nursing her baby. The subject of motherhood is popular in Mexiccan art. I have seen other statues glorifying it in places like Mérida, Yucatan's capital. The statue stands on the perimieter of Parque Principal Francisco Cantón, the main plaza of the city of Tizimin. In the local Maya dialect, the name of the city means "Place of the Tapir". It is located 52km (32mi) north of Valladolid on Highway 295, about half-way between that city and the north coast. With a population of 47,000, Tizimin is the second largest city in eastern Yucatan, after Valladolid. 

Parque Principal Francisco Cantón and its central kiosco. It is a very neat and well-kept plaza with many benches for those wishing to while away a sunny afternoon. All the buildings around the plaza are freshly painted in a variety of pastels. Francisco Cantón (1833-1917) joined the military at age 16 to fight the Maya during the Caste War (1848-1915). He later supported the rule of the French-imposed Emperior Maximillian (1862-1867). However, after the war, he reconciled with the Liberal Party under Porfirio Diaz and served as Governor of Yucatan from 1898 to 1902. 

Parroquia de los Tres Reyes stands across from the plaza's east side. The Church of the Three Kings is named after the three magi who, according to the New Testament, were guided by a star to visit Bethlehem and bring gifts to the Baby Jesus. The church was built in the 17th century, but the Franciscans had been evangelizing in the area since the middle of the 16th. In fact, Valladolid was originally founded in 1543 in the Tizimin municipality (equivalent to a US county). The new city was moved to its present location two years later because the first site was too swampy and unhealthy.

Melchior, one of the Three Kings, standing in a glass case in the church. The other two, Gaspar and Balthazar, stand nearby. A 16th century Franciscan friar named Andrés de Avendaño was inspired to use the Three Kings as an evangelizing tool at Tizimin. The three most important local gods were Yum Chac (Lord of the Rain), Yum Kaax (Lord of the Field), and Yum Ik (Lord of the Air). The Franciscan friar simply worked to substitute the Three Kings for the trio of Maya gods. This was similar to the tactic used by missionaries who created the Christmas tree to capitalize on the pagan German worship of the fir tree. 

This magnificent retablo stands in the apse at the end of the nave. The carved wood structure has thirteen niches for statues and paintings of various saints and sacred scenes. The retablo is in the Mexican Baroque style and includes sixteen spiraling Solomonic columns. Tizimin's Parroquia de los Tres Reyes is the second most important shrine to the Three Kings in the world, after the one in Cologne, Germany. The annual fiesta on January 6 draws thousands of participants. It includes a parade in which the Three Kings are paraded through the town. A similar fiesta is held the same day in a pueblo near Ajijic, where I live.

A sliver reliquary is bracketed by 12 silver candlesticks. Reliquaries are used to contain sacred relics. The number of candlesticks suggests that they represent the Twelve Apostles. Usually, reliquaries are in the shape of a box with a door in the front. This exquisitely decorated version is shaped like a coffee can, with a dome on top. Often, reliquaries are guarded by a brace of angel statues, but there were none in evidence here. There was also no indication of the nature of the relics contained in this reliquary.

A hexagonal pulpit is mounted on a side wall of the nave. I was impressed by the beautifully painted relief carvings of sacred figures on each of its six sides. The term pulpit comes from the Latin "pulpitum". The use of raised platforms dates back to ancient Israelite worship and Greek and Roman speaking traditions. They were first mentioned in regard to Christian practices by Cyprian of Carthage in the 3rd century AD. By the Middle Ages, they had become prominent features in churches. While pulpits in Catholic churches are often found on a side wall, in Protestant churches they are usually in the front.

A niche along the nave's wall contains a statue of the Virgen de Guadalupe. I immediately thought of her when I saw this statue. However, upon closer inspection, I had doubts. Many of the attributes of the Virgen de Guadalupe are present, including the sunburst halo that surrounds her and the type of clothing she wears. However, although I have taken hundreds of photos of her images all over Mexico, until Tizimin I had never encountered one in which she holds a child. After I Googled up numerous images of her holding the Baby Jesus, I was able to confirm my original opinion. Live and learn!

This completes Part 16 of my Valladolid Adventures series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I can respond in a timely fashion.

Hasta luego, Jim