What is Uaxactun known for?
Uaxactún was a ceremonial centre of only modest size, compared with Tikal, but it has been important in Mayan archaeology because intensive excavations made there by archaeologists of the Carnegie Institution of Washington established the first sequence of successive Mayan ceramic styles for the Formative through …
Who defeated Uaxactun?
In 378 AD, Siyaj K’ak’ (Fire is Born) of Tikal defeated Uaxactun in a war between the two cities.
How old is Uaxactun?
The earliest known public structures in Uaxactun date back to 600 B.C., yet archaeological research suggests that the site may have been occupied 400 years earlier. It was one of the longest-occupied Maya settlements. Uaxactun has been a national landmark since 1970.
What is the Peten region?
Petén, region of northern Guatemala, bounded by Mexico to the north and west and by Belize to the east. Petén is a low limestone plateau, varying in elevation between 500 and 700 feet (150 and 210 metres) above sea level at the base of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Why did the site of uaxactun receive its name?
The name Uaxactun was given to the site by its rediscoverer, archaeologist Sylvanus Morley, in May 1916. He coined the name from Maya words Waxac and Tun, to mean “Eight Stones”. The excavations added greatly to knowledge of the early Classic and pre-Classic Maya.
What does the name Pakal mean?
shield
Pakal (also spelled Pacal; meaning “shield” in several Maya languages) forms the (common) name or part of the full name of several pre-Columbian Maya personages identified in the monumental inscriptions of sites in the Maya region of Mesoamerica.
Why did the site of Uaxactun receive its name?
How big is Uaxactun?
About 15 miles (23 km) along a good dirt road beyond Tikal lies Uaxactun. Inhabited from the middle pre-Classic period through the Classic Period, Uaxactun thrived from 500 AD to 900 AD and was the longest lasting Mayan city in the Peten region of Guatemala.
Who lived in Peten?
Within that expanse, the Maya lived in three separate sub-areas with distinct environmental and cultural differences: the northern Maya lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula; the southern lowlands in the Peten district of northern Guatemala and adjacent portions of Mexico, Belize and western Honduras; and the southern Maya …
What is Peten Guatemala known for?
Petén is believed to be the birthplace of Mayan civilization, as some of the oldest Mayan sites are found here. The most impressive of these is Tikal, which was once one of the largest Mayan cities and is an absolute must-see for travelers in the area.
What is a Pacal?
Pacal (genus), a genus of arachnid, belonging to order of schizomids (shorttailed whipscorpions), endemic to Mexico.
What is the significance of Uaxactun?
Uaxactun (pronounced [waʃakˈtun]) is an ancient sacred place of the Maya civilization, located in the Petén Basin region of the Maya lowlands, in the present-day department of Petén, Guatemala. The site lies some 12 miles (19 km) north of the major center of Tikal.
Where is waxaktun located today?
Uaxactun (pronounced [waʃakˈtun]) is an ancient sacred place of the Maya civilization, located in the Petén Basin region of the Maya lowlands, in the present-day department of Petén, Guatemala. The site lies some 12 miles (19 km) north of the major center of Tikal. The name is sometimes spelled as Waxaktun .
What is the difference between Uaxactun and Tikal?
The remote Mayan site of Uaxactún is located 14 miles (23 km) north of Tikal. Although substantially smaller than Tikal, the ruins at Uaxactún nonetheless offer an interesting look at ancient Mayan culture. A notable feature here is an astronomical observatory.
What happened to the road from Uaxactun to Flores?
In the late 1970s a rough road was opened, connecting Uaxactun to Tikal and thence to Flores, Guatemala. Air flights were discontinued. In 1984 the road was much improved. Shook returned again in 1974 to oversee consolidation and restoration of some architecture excavated earlier.