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A sacbe, plural sacbeob (Yucatec Maya: singular sakbej, plural sakbejo'ob), or "white road", is a raised paved road built by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.Sharer 2001, 70 Most connect temples, plazas, and groups of structures within ceremonial centers or cities, but some longer roads between cities are also known. The term "sacbe" is Yucatec Maya for "white road"; white perhaps because there is evidence that they were originally coated with limestone stucco or plaster, which was over a stone and rubble fill.Roys and Shook 1966, 43 Although great progress has been made on determining the roles of sacbeob in Maya society, the decision to construct sacbeob as opposed to smaller, less complicated paths is puzzling to experts. Without a profound reliance on beasts of burden to transport goods, it remains partially unclear why the Maya decided to expend so much labor constructing these impressive roads. However, it remains a very plausible theory that the Sacbe held significant spiritual and religious value, in the sense that the actual trekking of the Sacbe itself seemed to be a spiritual journey of sorts.
Sacbeob constructed of these materials are especially important to contemporary studies of Maya sites, as they preserve well, making them capable of providing invaluable evidence to archaeologists. Maya "Sacbeob varied greatly in construction, length, width, and function" according to a 2015 study done on the sacbeob of Ceren. It is possible that many non-stone sacbeob once existed throughout Maya territory, however evidence of these earthen roads are limited, as they do not preserve as well.
It has many distinctions from English concepts of roads, pathways, or trails. Beh's metaphoric meanings are just as important if not more important than its literal meaning of "road." Ethnographers working the lowlands have noted that it means "more than the road you see with your eyes." The term Beh refers to "the road of life".
In the Colonial times "Sacbe" was translated as calzada, which is Spanish for "main road/Highway." The literal translation of Sacbe is "white road." This is used to refer to large Mayan constructed roads covered in a white (Sac) surfacing.
In an effort to map Maya sacbeob more effectively, researchers have more recently turned to Imaging radar imaging. This form of mapping has the power to penetrate dense forest cover to reveal the sacbeob below, and is a sound alternative to Lidar or traditional mapping practices, as they are often time-consuming and costly.
Sacbeob had a number of practical uses in addition to any religious significance they may have had. In addition to their large spiritual significance, archeologists have long used the Sacbe to construct and understand the political and economic systems of the Maya. By understanding the larger connection between settlements along the Sacbe, archeologists have been able to gain a larger understanding into the political and social network that the Sacbe facilitated. Longer sacbeob could be used for trade and communication. The Maya did not have a Pack animal suitable for carrying goods over long distances, so it is likely that the sacbeob would have been regularly walked by traders, though the Maya are also known to have used water routes.Northrup et al. 2004, 612 There is a wealth of evidence of mounds, often interpreted as remains of huts or way stations for travelers, along large sacbeob.Coe and Coe 1939, 377 Looking at the large sacbe connecting Kabah to Uxmal, natives told John Lloyd Stephens that ancient Maya couriers used the sacbeob to deliver messages between large cities. At Ake in the Yucatán, several sacbeob lead directly to , which serve both as important religious sites and sources of clean water.
Stone Stele and platforms were frequently added to the sacbeob to delineate the end of a sacbe, or the point of crossing for two sacbeob. Ramps, stairs, and other features meant to facilitate the use of sacbeob by pedestrians have been routinely observed, and seem to increase in abundance the closer one gets to prominent architectural features of a site.
Sacbeob have been found to be in close association with water sources at many sites, including the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itza, which acts as a terminal point for a local sacbe. Other sites have reservoirs positioned closely to sacbeob, including the site at Caracol.
At Coba, there are more than 50 sacbeob still visible today. Some researchers believe that some of the sacbeob were used to divide the population of about 55,000 people into at least four or neighborhoods.Folan 1978, 73 Many smaller sacbeob fall in places around sources of water or other high-traffic areas like ceremonial or administrative centers. Two much larger sacbeob connect Coba to the smaller sites of Yaxuna, almost 100 km to the west, and Ixil, about 20 km to the southwest. Since Coba is the only major Classic Period site in a 5,000 square kilometer area around it, Yaxuna and Ixil are believed to be outposts or subsidiaries of Coba, which would have been the capital of the state in which they all resided.Folan 1978, 73–74 Extensive research at Coba, including the use of imaging technology, has revealed that the sacbeob here are not as straight as previously thought. Furthermore, it seems that settlements continue to follow the path of the sacbe for some time as it leads out of the central portion of the site. This information shows just how influential these causeways were in the lives of local residents. Examination of the Coba-Yaxuna sacbe yielded an especially important find: a five-ton stoneroller resting atop the surface of the sacbe. It is believed that this roller was used to compact the surface of the sacbe to ensure a smooth, uniform walking surface.
At the Maya site of Cerén, located in El Salvador, studies of preserved plant material have revealed that sacbeob were used to transport goods amongst the agricultural fields in this area. It is also important to note that the sacbeob at Cerèn were used as an evacuation route after the Loma Caldera eruption of the San Salvador volcano.
Some sacbeob that have been studied in the northwest Yucatán seem to have been constructed at times of conflict, rapid population growth and migration, and they have been interpreted by some as "permanent markers attesting to the relationships between dominant centers and satellite settlements," effectively a way of signifying and maintaining political boundaries.Kurjack and Andrews 1976, 322–324
While the sacbeob in the Yucatán are the best known, they are documented elsewhere in the Maya area. A number of sacbeob have been found around El Mirador and Tikal in the northern Petén Basin and around Copan in the southern Guatemalan Highlands, as well as at other sites.Wahl et al. 2007, 213Sharer 2001
The territory of the Maya at its height was expansive, and included many different types of terrain, climate, and ecological zones. Therefore, those constructing the sacbeob had to take into account the conditions of their specific region to ensure the longevity of the sacbeob. At the site of Cerèn, drainage was required on the sides of the sacbe, as well as regular maintenance by laborers due to the wet conditions in this area.
Many theories surrounding the construction of the sacbeob have been posed. Although a general consensus has not been reached, experts believe that sacbeob presence in some areas is the result of the work of corvée labor groups. This theory has been supported by the existence of completed sacbeob segments next to unstarted ones.
Besides practical function, the symbolic functions of sacbeob are critical to understanding their significance in Maya culture. Sacbeob served to provide both a physical and symbolic link between two places. It is argued that this link served as a reminder of the relationship between the groups that occupied a specific sacbe. By jointly participating in the construction and frequent maintenance of these roadways, it is believed that societies could further solidify their allyship.
The present day and colonial Maya term for the Milky Way is also Sacbe. The fulfilment of one's destiny is considered the fulfilment of their "road." Seeing that movement, roads, and the cosmos are important to Mayan mythos, the conflation of Sacbe with the Milky Way suggests a ceremonial importance of Sacbe.
Sacbeob have been observed to correspond to the four cardinal directions when extending from pilgrimage centers, which is also believed to be spiritually significant. The connection made between sacbeob and the Milky Way has also been theorized to be connected to the Maya concept of the World tree, or Wakah-Chan. In this way, the sacbeob acted as an axis mundi, meaning that to some extent, sacbeob may have functioned as a model for the Maya universe.
Similarly, at the site of El Mirador, sacbeob seem to have been constructed to represent an astronomical alignment between the Sun and Venus, which has been analyzed as further evidence of sacbeob holding a religious significance. The Coba causeways are also theorized to be intentionally aligned with certain stars.
At the ancient site of Cerèn, tephra, a volcanic material gathered from a previous eruption, was used to construct the local sacbe. The societal and environmental impacts of this past eruption are thought to have been enormous. Therefore, a study conducted by Sheets et al. concluded that construction of the Cerèn sacbe from these materials likely had religious and cosmological significance to the Maya.
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