Typically, the temples were built upon piles of earthen rubble. Each stone was painstakingly cut and added to the rising structure. A unique blend of burnt limestone and water was used as mortar to cement the blocks together. The construction of the enormous temples is even more spectacular considering that the Maya used no beasts-of-burden, no iron tools to cut stone, and no wheels for transport! Imagine the huge numbers of laborers needed to erect such massive edifices. Panning out onto the Great Plaza, you can sense the spiritual nature of such a place during the peak of its once-thriving society.