This region is Located in the
Río
Azul National Park and has a large variety of Preclassic and Classic sites,
such as Naachtún.
Cival
and
San
Bartolo, some
just being investigated, but the majority is waiting to be open and shred more
light about the Maya. The north-east Region of Petén saw exceptional
construction activity with the erection of hundreds of monumental towns. Recent
studies have been undertaken at 64 archaeological sites such as
La Honradez and Xmacbatún, both Large sites and not investigated yet.
Kinal:
Located 9 Km south west from Río Azul, Kinal, (Place of the Sacred Fire) is a silent site, full of
Structures, with well preserved vaults, it has a ball court, 21 Plazas
and more than 500 structures, there are 32 Sculptured monuments
including Stelas and altars, arranged along a huge Sacbé from East to
West. It was known as The Sacred Fire City among the ancient Mayas, the
tallest temple is 27 Mt. high, structures are packed in some 2 Km2. It
is 2 to 3 hours hike from Rio Azul ( 9 Km.), in this site there is
evidence of a dam from the Pre Classic, used for
agriculture.
Xultún: is a
very Big Early Classic Site with an area of 16 Km2 that has among its major features, a
Temple 35 mt High, palaces, 2 ball courts, 24 Stelas, the last dated monument
is Stela 10 (899 AD), in several Plazas, there are 5 Aguadas or water reservoirs,
that shows a large population, it is located 40 Km. northeast from
Tikal and 6
Km. north of the smaller Preclassic site of
San Bartolo, between this sites
there is a number of Preclassic sites such as: Chaj K’e’k Cué a site
believed to
be the residential area of the Xultún Rulers, with a
palace up to 8 m. tall,
Isla Oasis and Las Minas, sites where a large quarry of limestone have been
identified, and one big site that was discovered by satellite north of Isla
Oasis, to date, Xultún is the Largest Classic Site of the Maya that has not been
investigated. Xultún Emblem Glyph below, Xultún Stela 1 has a
Maya Zodiac
Buried
Pyramid |
Emblem
Glyph
|
Chanchich II: Is located on the Holmul
river shores, north of Naranjo, that has 2 Acrópolis, a
Ball Court, an E
group and residential areas, occupied in the Pre Classic, has Stucco
masks in 2 temples
Site
Map |
Stucco
Mask Draws |
Stucco
Mask Draws |
Witzná: Is a Large Classic
site, located near Chanchich II, in the confluences of the
Holmul and
Ixcanrío rivers, this site has an Acrópolis with several Palaces, 2 are
2 floor, Temples and a Ball Court, a Causeway join this Complex with the
Sculptures Complex, to the west, there are 3 Stelas and 2 altars, the
main Palace is 8 mt High, the main residential area is at the east
Site
Map |
Kanajau:
Located 7 Km. north of
Naranjo, this site has the largest number of sculptures from the Pre
Classic in this area, this site has an
E group and several Stelas and
altars as well as a zoomorphous sculpture
|
Site
Map |
Stela
1 |
Zoomorph |
Altar
3 |
Temple |
Socotzal: Located 11 Km west
from Tikal, is a Pre Classic site, that has an E group, and a Triadic
Temple, a Pyramid there is similar in shape and size to the 5C-54 in
Tikal' s Mundo Perdido Acropolis
Chaj'Kek'Cue':
Located 3 Km
southwest from San Bartolo, and near Xultún, has been identified as a
peripheral site of Xultún. The site has a ceremonial Acropolis and a
Ball Court dated in the Late Classic.
