Temple of the Cormorants

The Temple of the Cormorants is a ceremonial Maya temple located in the ancient city of Dzibanche in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico. It was named the Temple of the Cormorants after a ceramic vessel found inside, painted with images of the cormorant, a hunting bird related to the underworld in Maya mythology. Archaeologically it is also known as Temple II or E2 of Dzibanche.

The temple is part of the Xibalbá plaza in the core of the Maya city of Dzibanche, the first capital of the Kaan kingdom. The pyramidal base is formed by a system of funerary chambers with royal tombs of members of the Kaanu'l dynasty, the main burial is the tomb of the ruler Ut Chan, also known as Sky Witness, who was the ruler of Dzibanche between the years 561 and 572 AD. The burials included large funerary trousseau with polychrome ceramic vessels, obsidian, necklaces, bracelets and jade masks.