The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: December fifth, passing time in Palenque.

Chiapas, Mexico's southern-most state, has been in the news frequently since Zapatista rebels occupied several towns on New Year's Day, 1994. Though controversies still simmer and banditry can be common in remote areas, the risks haven't kept curious visitors from coming to explore and experience what many consider to be Mexico's most scenic and mysterious region.

A thousand years ago, the steamy jungles and volcanic mountains in the bowl of the Yucatan Peninsula were the heart of the Mayan civilization. Once romanticized as a modest, peaceful people, the image of ancient Maya has evolved. Particularly during the classic period, 500 to 1000 A.D., they were organized into a half-dozen city states, which waged regular, almost ritual war with each other.

In the center of their cities, the Maya erected steep-stepped, stone temples and terraced pyramids and practiced human sacrifice. Buried by the jungle for centuries, the ruins of several of these Mayan cities are being uncovered. Of these Chiapis sites, Palenque is the most accessible. A dozen buildings have been excavated, including the tomb of its most famous ruler. Paths from the central clearing lead into the jungle, where more treasures await the archaeologist's trowel.

Three other Mayan ruins in the Usamachinta river valley, Tonina, Bonampak, and Yaxchilan, are more remote and truly seem like lost cities. All reward adventurous travelers with a glimpse into a magical, mythical past, whose legacy and passions still smoulder. FMI For information on visiting Chiapas, contact the Mexican Government Tourism Office 800-446-3842 or http://mexico-travel.com

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