The Mayan House

The Mayan house is one of the most important aspects of Mayan culture, and fortunately, it is a tradition that remains alive throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.

When you visit Yucatán and see these houses, you may notice that they have a specific orientation; some are square, and others are round. You can also notice that they have two symmetrical doors, one on each side of the house.

Discover in this blog the beautiful theories of the construction of the Mayan house. After knowing them, you will want to live in one of them!

The Mayan House: Characteristics

Mayan houses have interesting characteristics, such as their square or round construction and orientation at specific cardinal points.

The houses' doors are oriented from east to north, taking advantage of the sunlight that illuminates the interiors in the morning.

Square and round shapes

The pre-Hispanic Mayans believed that the world was square and that it was supported by four porters.

These chargers were known as Bacabes, each one representing a cardinal point with their respective colors.

These colors were red for the east, white for the north, black for the west, and yellow for the south. Likewise, each cardinal point has its guardian, who are the chakes.

Mayan houses are built rounded so that the air from hurricanes passes to the sides of the houses.

Building a Mayan house puts into practice all the wisdom and cultural heritage of our Mayan ancestors.

The xa'an or huano is used to make the roof of the Mayan house. It is a material resistant to water and the sun and can be even more resistant when smoked.

The xa'an is cut from the jungle and taken to where the structure of the house is. The fresh leaves of the huano are left to dry in the sun and are used on the roofs of houses.

The triangular shape of the Mayan house's roof was taken from the constructions of pre-Hispanic Mayan temples. This shape gives the house height, coolness, and space to store things.

The influence of the moon

Wooden houses have lasted for many years, and this is due to the moon. Yes, you read that right: to the moon!

The Mayan elders believe that on a full moon, it is the right time to cut all the wood. According to the residents, this very specific moment prevents termites from damaging the wood.

A Mayan house is much more than meets the eye. It is ecological, fresh, and cheap!

If you want to learn about other construction techniques in the region, look for our blog on masonry construction or construction with super adobe.