Ixtonton
Encyclopedia
Ixtonton is a Maya
archaeological site in the department
of Petén in northern Guatemala
. It is located in the northwestern portion of the Maya Mountains
in the municipality
of Dolores
. The ruins are situated approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the town of Dolores itself. Ixtonton was the capital city
of one of the four Maya kingdoms in the upper Mopan Valley
. The site was occupied from the Late Preclassic
period (c. 400 BC – AD 200) through to the Terminal Classic (c. AD 800-900), with some evidence of continued activity into the Postclassic (c. 900–1521). For the majority of its history Ixtonton was the most important city in the upper Mopan Valley, with its only rivals emerging in the Late Classic (c. 600-900). The acropolis at Ixtonton is laid out around two plazas on top of an artificially modified karst
ic hill.
Ixtonton was first described by the Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala project in 1985. The ruins have been set aside as a protected archaeological park by the Dirección General del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural ("Department of Cultural and Natural Heritage").
and pine forest
(of the species Pinus caribaea
). To the west are karst
ic limestone
hills very similar in nature to those that the site itself occupies. Ixtonton is located close to a number of other Maya archaeological sites, the most important of which are Ixtutz
, 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) distant, and Ixkun
at a distance of 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi).
finds suggest that the site was first occupied at the beginning of the Late Preclassic period, possibly with the E-Group
astronomical complex in the site core being built at around that time. From that time onwards Ixtonton was the most important city in the Dolores Valley and a large portion of the Maya Mountains, and it had no serious challenger throughout the Early Classic period. The site was heavily occupied in the Late Classic and large quantities of finds have been recovered that date to the Terminal Classic, with evidence that occupation continued into the Postclassic. During the Late Classic, Ixkun and Ixtutz both developed sufficiently to rival Ixtonton, but this did not last and Ixtonton continued as the most prominent site in the region.
Ixtonton was first reported to the Guatemalan authorities in 1985, by which time most of its stelae had already been looted.
, palaces and causeways
.
is grouped around two plazas upon a massive basal platform, itself set upon a karstic hill. The East Plaza was dominated by an E-Group
astronomical complex, while the principal structure of the West Plaza was a pyramid
on its south side. There are three smaller plazas; the North Plaza, Northwest Plaza, Southeast Plaza. Ixtonton is one of only two cities in the central Dolores plateau that possess two ballcourts instead of only one, the other city being Ix Ak. Both ballcourts are located within the site core. They are small in size and are both oriented north-south. The various groups in the site core are linked by three causeways, denominated the North Causeway, the South Causeway and the West Causeway.
Ballcourt I is located to the northwest of the E-Group complex near to the North Causeway and dates to the Late Classic. It measures 11 by. The eastern structure of the ballcourt has been heavily damaged by looters, with four major looters' pits. The western structure is in somewhat better condition, with two major looters' pits, but is also badly damaged and heavily eroded.
Ballcourt II also dates to the Late Classic but was built later than Ballcourt I. It measures 20 by. The East and West Structures were built of well-cut stone, with the sides of the playing area rising vertically for two courses of stone, then continuing as a slope.
The E-Group consists of an East Platform supporting a central temple and flanked by two smaller shrines. The complex has been damaged by looters, with the greater damage being caused to the flanking shrines. Ceramic fragments recovered from the north shrine date to the Late Classic. The central temple was accessed via a 7.4 metres (24.3 ft) long recessed stairway. The stairway was built from stone blocks measuring 50 by by 10 centimetres (3.9 in) high. The steps have a tread of 40 centimetres (15.7 in) and risers measuring 37 centimetres (14.6 in). Two stelae were situated at the base of the central stairway, they are both very poorly preserved. Stela 2 was situated on the north side of the stairway. The badly fragmented remains of a plain stela were found in a symmetrical position on the south side of the base of the central stairway.
The South Causeway is 150 metres (492.1 ft) long and 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide. It leads to a group of structures situated upon a raised basal platform, near a group of hills supporting further architectural groups.
The West Causeway is 470 metres (1,542 ft) long and 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide, running west from a junction with the South Causeway. Its construction is very similar to that of the North Causeway. It joins the ceremonial core of the site to Group 2.
. It consists of 29 residential structures, most of which are situated upon the summit, although a cluster of structures were built upon a terrace upon the northwest side of the hill. Group 28 has suffered extensive damage as a result of the activities of looters, with further damage caused by modern agricultural activity. The excavated structures were all built in a single construction period during the Late Classic, and continued in use through to the Terminal Classic. The group probably continued to be inhabited into the Postclassic period. Excavations of the patio of Group 28 revealed rubble infill dating to the Late Preclassic, although no structures were found to date to this far back. The excavators believed that older structures were demolished to make way for later construction. Relatively abundant finds associated with Group 28 included ceramics, stone artefacts, worked bone and antler tools.
Structure 1 in this group is distinguished from the other structures by its size, and served a political-administrative function. It measures 7.8 by.
Stela 1 is badly damaged. It was located in the centre of the West Plaza. It was fashioned from limestone and sculpted on one side only, with four columns of poorly preserved hieroglyphic script
.
Stela 2 was found at the north side of the base of central stairway of the E-Group. It was found in a fallen position and was fashioned from slate
and measured 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long, 20 centimetres (7.9 in) thick and 40 to 50 cm (15.7 to 19.7 in) wide. When erect, the sculpted personage would have faced to the south, with the chest facing forwards. The figure grips a mannequin sceptre in the right hand. The sculpture is badly damaged, with the faced destroyed. Various fragments were found nearby but the stela butt is missing so the stela's original location is not known for certain. It is estimated to weigh 455 to 540 kg (1,003.1 to 1,190.5 lb).
Burial 142 was excavated from the main axis of Structure 13 in Group 28. The remains were those of an adult male deposited upon his back in a cist
measuring 1.8 by. It was accompanied by an offering consisting of a ceramic bowl and a polychrome vase. The burial has been dated to the Late Classic period.
Burial 145 was found upon the axis of Structure 11 in Group 28. The remains were deposited lying curled on their left side in a cist measuring 0.95 by. The remains were oriented north-south with the head towards the north. A ceramic bowl was deposited by the head, there was also a flint arrowhead deposited as part of the offering. The burial has been dated to the Late Classic.
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
archaeological site in the department
Departments of Guatemala
||Guatemala is divided into 22 departments :#Alta Verapaz#Baja Verapaz#Chimaltenango#Chiquimula#Petén#El Progreso#El Quiché#Escuintla#Guatemala#Huehuetenango#Izabal#Jalapa#Jutiapa#Quetzaltenango#Retalhuleu#Sacatepéquez...
of Petén in northern Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. It is located in the northwestern portion of the Maya Mountains
Maya Mountains
The Maya Mountains are a mountain range in Belize and eastern Guatemala. The highest peaks are Doyle's Delight at and Victoria Peak at . The Maya Mountains and associated foothills contain a number of important Mayan ruins including the sites of Lubaantun, Nim Li Punit, Cahal Pech, and Chaa Creek;...
in the municipality
Municipalities of Guatemala
The departments of Guatemala are divided into 332 municipalities or municipios. The municipalities are listed below, by department:-Alta Verapaz Department:*Cahabón*Chahal*Chisec*Cobán*Fray Bartolomé de las Casas*Lanquín*Panzós*Raxruha...
of Dolores
Dolores, El Petén
Dolores is a municipality in the El Petén department of Guatemala. It contains 26,269 people. The municipality includes the Maya archaeological sites of Ixkun, Ixtutz, Ixtonton and El Chal. The town is home to the Museo Regional del Sureste de Petén....
. The ruins are situated approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the town of Dolores itself. Ixtonton was the capital city
Maya city
A Maya city was a centre of population of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica. It served the specialised roles of administration, commerce, manufacturing and religion that characterised ancient cities worldwide...
of one of the four Maya kingdoms in the upper Mopan Valley
Mopan River
Mopan River is a river in Guatemala and the Cayo district in western Belize near the border with Guatemala. The Mopan River discharges to the Belize River as the Mopan merges with the Macal River; the Belize River in turn terminates at the Caribbean Sea. The Belize River/Mopan River Catchment...
. The site was occupied from the Late Preclassic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
period (c. 400 BC – AD 200) through to the Terminal Classic (c. AD 800-900), with some evidence of continued activity into the Postclassic (c. 900–1521). For the majority of its history Ixtonton was the most important city in the upper Mopan Valley, with its only rivals emerging in the Late Classic (c. 600-900). The acropolis at Ixtonton is laid out around two plazas on top of an artificially modified karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
ic hill.
Ixtonton was first described by the Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala project in 1985. The ruins have been set aside as a protected archaeological park by the Dirección General del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural ("Department of Cultural and Natural Heritage").
Location
The site is bordered to the north and the east by the Mopan River, while to the south the terrain is characterised by savannaSavanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
and pine forest
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests are a forest biome. They are located in regions of semi-humid climate at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Most tropical and subtropical coniferous forest ecoregions are found in the Nearctic and Neotropic ecozones, from Mexico to Nicaragua and on the...
(of the species Pinus caribaea
Caribbean Pine
The Caribbean Pine, Pinus caribaea, is a hard pine native to Central America, Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It inhabits tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, which include both lowland savannas and montane forests...
). To the west are karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
ic limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
hills very similar in nature to those that the site itself occupies. Ixtonton is located close to a number of other Maya archaeological sites, the most important of which are Ixtutz
Ixtutz
Ixtutz was an important Classic Period Maya city located south of Ixkun in southeastern Petén, Guatemala. Ixtutz is situated in the valley of the Poxte River in the western portion of the Maya Mountains...
, 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) distant, and Ixkun
Ixkun
Ixkun is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site, situated in the Petén Basin region of the southern Maya lowlands. It lies to the north of the town of Dolores, in the modern-day department of Petén, Guatemala...
at a distance of 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi).
History
CeramicMaya ceramics
Maya ceramics are important in the study of the Pre-Columbian Maya culture of Mesoamerica. Through the years, the vessels took on different shapes, colors, sizes, and purposes...
finds suggest that the site was first occupied at the beginning of the Late Preclassic period, possibly with the E-Group
E-Group
E-Groups are unique architectural complexes found among a number of ancient Maya settlements. They are central components to the settlement organization of Maya sites and could have served as astronomical observatories. The alignment of these structural complexes corresponds to the sun's...
astronomical complex in the site core being built at around that time. From that time onwards Ixtonton was the most important city in the Dolores Valley and a large portion of the Maya Mountains, and it had no serious challenger throughout the Early Classic period. The site was heavily occupied in the Late Classic and large quantities of finds have been recovered that date to the Terminal Classic, with evidence that occupation continued into the Postclassic. During the Late Classic, Ixkun and Ixtutz both developed sufficiently to rival Ixtonton, but this did not last and Ixtonton continued as the most prominent site in the region.
Ixtonton was first reported to the Guatemalan authorities in 1985, by which time most of its stelae had already been looted.
Site description
The site covers an approximate area of 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi), with its borders not clearly demarked but rather a gradual phasing into neighbouring centres. The site includes all the features commonly associated with a principal city in the Maya lowlands, including plazas, temples, ballcourtsMesoamerican ballcourt
A Mesoamerican ballcourt is a large masonry structure of a type used in Mesoamerica for over 2,700 years to play the Mesoamerican ballgame, particularly the hip-ball version of the ballgame. Over 1,300 ballcourts have been identified, 60% in the last 20 years alone...
, palaces and causeways
Sacbe
right|thumb|Sacbe at Dzibilchaltun in the Yucatánthumb|right|Arch at the end of the sacbé, Kabah, YucatánSacbe, plural Sacbeob, or "white ways" are raised paved roads built by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica...
.
Site core
The principal architectureMaya architecture
A unique and spectacular style, Maya architecture spans several thousands of years. Often the most dramatic and easily recognizable as Maya are the stepped pyramids from the Terminal Pre-classic period and beyond. Being based on the general Mesoamerican architectural traditions these pyramids...
is grouped around two plazas upon a massive basal platform, itself set upon a karstic hill. The East Plaza was dominated by an E-Group
E-Group
E-Groups are unique architectural complexes found among a number of ancient Maya settlements. They are central components to the settlement organization of Maya sites and could have served as astronomical observatories. The alignment of these structural complexes corresponds to the sun's...
astronomical complex, while the principal structure of the West Plaza was a pyramid
Mesoamerican pyramids
Mesoamerican pyramids, pyramid-shaped structures, are an important part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. These structures were usually step pyramids with temples on top – more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt...
on its south side. There are three smaller plazas; the North Plaza, Northwest Plaza, Southeast Plaza. Ixtonton is one of only two cities in the central Dolores plateau that possess two ballcourts instead of only one, the other city being Ix Ak. Both ballcourts are located within the site core. They are small in size and are both oriented north-south. The various groups in the site core are linked by three causeways, denominated the North Causeway, the South Causeway and the West Causeway.
Ballcourt I is located to the northwest of the E-Group complex near to the North Causeway and dates to the Late Classic. It measures 11 by. The eastern structure of the ballcourt has been heavily damaged by looters, with four major looters' pits. The western structure is in somewhat better condition, with two major looters' pits, but is also badly damaged and heavily eroded.
Ballcourt II also dates to the Late Classic but was built later than Ballcourt I. It measures 20 by. The East and West Structures were built of well-cut stone, with the sides of the playing area rising vertically for two courses of stone, then continuing as a slope.
The E-Group consists of an East Platform supporting a central temple and flanked by two smaller shrines. The complex has been damaged by looters, with the greater damage being caused to the flanking shrines. Ceramic fragments recovered from the north shrine date to the Late Classic. The central temple was accessed via a 7.4 metres (24.3 ft) long recessed stairway. The stairway was built from stone blocks measuring 50 by by 10 centimetres (3.9 in) high. The steps have a tread of 40 centimetres (15.7 in) and risers measuring 37 centimetres (14.6 in). Two stelae were situated at the base of the central stairway, they are both very poorly preserved. Stela 2 was situated on the north side of the stairway. The badly fragmented remains of a plain stela were found in a symmetrical position on the south side of the base of the central stairway.
West Plaza
The Northwest Structure of the West Plaza is a small platform measuring 5 metres (16.4 ft) north-south by 6 metres (19.7 ft) east-west.Causeways
The North Causeway is the longest causeway at Ixtonton. It measures 550 metres (1,804.5 ft) long and averages 15 metres (49.2 ft) wide. It was built from broken stone, maintaining it level in spite of the hilly terrain, with the more elevated portions of causeway being contained by reinforced walls. It ends in a low platform at the north end and joins the site core to the various architectural groups located to the north.The South Causeway is 150 metres (492.1 ft) long and 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide. It leads to a group of structures situated upon a raised basal platform, near a group of hills supporting further architectural groups.
The West Causeway is 470 metres (1,542 ft) long and 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide, running west from a junction with the South Causeway. Its construction is very similar to that of the North Causeway. It joins the ceremonial core of the site to Group 2.
Other groups
The site included 120 residential groups separated by uninhabited areas that may have been used for agriculture. The site periphery includes 79 archaeological groups located on 64 hills. The hills vary in height from minor elevations of 2 metres (6.6 ft) through to hills that stand over 20 metres (65.6 ft) high. The site has been heavily looted, with 75% of the archaeological groups exhibiting damage, with the damage being concentrated on the larger mounds.Group 2
Group 2 is located to the northwest of the ceremonial core of the site, upon a hill that may have been artificially modified. It supports a number of mounds enclosing a raised plaza, in some cases parts of the walls are visible. Narrow pieces of fallen stone lintel are visible on the north structure. Group 2 is the most important architectural group outside of the ceremonial core of the city. It was accessed from the West Causeway via a stairway and included the tallest architecture among the peripheral groups of the site, with one structure standing over 8.5 metres (27.9 ft) tall.Group 28
Group 28 is situated upon a limestone hill in the southwestern portion of the site. It was excavated in 1995 by the Escuela de Historia ("School of History") of the Universidad de San Carlos de GuatemalaUniversidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
The Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala It is the biggest and oldest university of Guatemala, also it is the fourth founded in the Americas....
. It consists of 29 residential structures, most of which are situated upon the summit, although a cluster of structures were built upon a terrace upon the northwest side of the hill. Group 28 has suffered extensive damage as a result of the activities of looters, with further damage caused by modern agricultural activity. The excavated structures were all built in a single construction period during the Late Classic, and continued in use through to the Terminal Classic. The group probably continued to be inhabited into the Postclassic period. Excavations of the patio of Group 28 revealed rubble infill dating to the Late Preclassic, although no structures were found to date to this far back. The excavators believed that older structures were demolished to make way for later construction. Relatively abundant finds associated with Group 28 included ceramics, stone artefacts, worked bone and antler tools.
Structure 1 in this group is distinguished from the other structures by its size, and served a political-administrative function. It measures 7.8 by.
Monuments
Ixtonton had various stelae, but the majority of them were looted before the site had been reported, leaving only 2 in place. There are also a number of plain altars, some circular in shape and others with a flattened form.Stela 1 is badly damaged. It was located in the centre of the West Plaza. It was fashioned from limestone and sculpted on one side only, with four columns of poorly preserved hieroglyphic script
Maya script
The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered...
.
Stela 2 was found at the north side of the base of central stairway of the E-Group. It was found in a fallen position and was fashioned from slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
and measured 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long, 20 centimetres (7.9 in) thick and 40 to 50 cm (15.7 to 19.7 in) wide. When erect, the sculpted personage would have faced to the south, with the chest facing forwards. The figure grips a mannequin sceptre in the right hand. The sculpture is badly damaged, with the faced destroyed. Various fragments were found nearby but the stela butt is missing so the stela's original location is not known for certain. It is estimated to weigh 455 to 540 kg (1,003.1 to 1,190.5 lb).
Burials
Burial 138 through to Burial 145 were all found in Group 28. Most of these were too disturbed to provide much information, although the majority were adults.Burial 142 was excavated from the main axis of Structure 13 in Group 28. The remains were those of an adult male deposited upon his back in a cist
Cist
A cist from ) is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle East....
measuring 1.8 by. It was accompanied by an offering consisting of a ceramic bowl and a polychrome vase. The burial has been dated to the Late Classic period.
Burial 145 was found upon the axis of Structure 11 in Group 28. The remains were deposited lying curled on their left side in a cist measuring 0.95 by. The remains were oriented north-south with the head towards the north. A ceramic bowl was deposited by the head, there was also a flint arrowhead deposited as part of the offering. The burial has been dated to the Late Classic.