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Temple of the Three Lintels, Chichén Itzá

In the southern part of the Late Classic zone of Chichén Itzá is one of the most elegant structures at the site, the Temple of the Three Lintels. Showing the Puuc architectural style at its most restrained, the Temple's façade has Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions on each of its three lintels, with a date of AD 889, near the end of the Classic period in Yucatán. The Temple was probably a residence for Maya nobility. Its plain outer walls are surmounted by a graceful cornice covered with a Puuc-style mosaic composed of x-form lattices, pilasters, and zigzag lines. At each of the upper corners are Chac masks with protruding noses, honoring the Maya rain god. 

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[Fig.1: Temple of the Three Lintels at Chichén Itzá (photo: Athena Review).]

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