Common Mayans would have lived in small mud or reed homes. Elite families had homes built of stone. This image above is of the palace complex at Palenque, a Mayan site in southern Mexico. Such a large stone complex would have housed only the most elite family or families in the city. The palace dates from 721 CE and is set on a 10-meter high platform. There is a central courtyard with rooms surrounding it. The walls of this palace were decorated with colorful stucco paintings depicting past Mayan kings. From the 25-meter high tower in the complex, nobles would have been able to look upon the entire sprawling city.