The architectural style named for hills in northwest Yucatán near Uxmal is Puuc.
“Puuc” comes from a Maya word meaning “hill” and refers to the low range of karst hills in southern Yucatán and northern Campeche. The name was extended to the distinctive architectural tradition developed by Maya communities in that region, especially during the Terminal Classic period.
Puuc buildings commonly use carefully cut veneer stones over a cement-and-rubble core. Their lower façades are often plain, while upper sections carry elaborate geometric mosaics and long-nosed masks associated with Chaac, the Maya rain deity. This masonry technique helped create stable walls and larger interior spaces.
Uxmal is the best-known Puuc center, but the style also appears at Kabah, Sayil, Labná, Xlapak and other sites. A common mix-up is treating Puuc as a single city: it is primarily a regional name and an architectural style, not the name of one ruin.