Ixtonton facts for kids
Ixtonton is an ancient Maya city in northern Guatemala. It's found in the Petén area, within the Maya Mountains. The ruins are about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) east of the town of Dolores. Ixtonton was once the main city of one of the four Maya kingdoms in the upper Mopan Valley.
People lived in Ixtonton for a very long time, from around 400 BC to AD 900. There's even some proof that people stayed there until 1521. For most of its history, Ixtonton was the most important city in its region. Only a few other cities became strong rivals later on. The main part of Ixtonton, called the acropolis, is built on top of a hill that was changed by people. It has two large open areas called plazas.
The site of Ixtonton was first officially described in 1985. Today, it's a protected archaeological park, meaning it's kept safe for everyone to learn about.
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Where is Ixtonton Located?
Ixtonton is surrounded by nature. The Mopan River is to its north and east. To the south, you'll find open grasslands and pine forests. To the west are hills made of limestone, much like the one Ixtonton itself sits on.
This ancient city is also close to other important Maya sites. Ixtutz is about 8.7 kilometers (5.4 miles) away, and Ixkun is about 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) away.
A Look at Ixtonton's History
Scientists have found pottery that tells us people first lived at Ixtonton around 400 BC. It's possible that a special group of buildings, called an E-Group, was built around this time. From then on, Ixtonton became the most important city in its valley. It stayed strong for a long time, even through the Early Classic period.
Many people lived in Ixtonton during the Late Classic period (AD 600-900). A lot of items from this time have been found. There's also proof that people continued to live there even after the Classic period ended. While other cities like Ixkun and Ixtutz grew stronger later on, Ixtonton remained the most important site in the area.
Sadly, when Ixtonton was first reported to the government in 1985, most of its tall stone monuments, called stelae, had already been stolen.
What the Site Looks Like
The ancient city of Ixtonton covers an area of about 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles). It has all the features you'd expect in a major Maya city. These include large open plazas, tall temples, special ballcourts, grand palaces, and long raised roads called causeways.
The City's Main Area
The most important buildings at Ixtonton are grouped around two large plazas. These are built on a huge platform, which itself sits on a natural hill. The East Plaza had an E-Group, which was used to track the sun and stars. The West Plaza's main building was a large pyramid on its south side.
There are also three smaller plazas: the North Plaza, Northwest Plaza, and Southeast Plaza. Ixtonton is special because it has two ballcourts in its main area, while most other cities in this region only have one. Both ballcourts are small and face north-south. Three causeways connect the different parts of the city's main area. These are called the North, South, and West Causeways.
Ballcourt I is located near the North Causeway. It was built during the Late Classic period. This ballcourt is 11 by 11 meters (36 by 36 feet) in size. Sadly, it has been badly damaged by people looking for treasures.
Ballcourt II was also built in the Late Classic period, but a bit later than Ballcourt I. It measures 20 by 5 meters (66 by 16 feet). Its walls were made of well-cut stones.
The E-Group has a central temple on an East Platform, with two smaller shrines on either side. This complex has also been damaged by looters. Pottery found here suggests it was used in the Late Classic period. The central temple had a long stairway leading up to it. Two stone monuments, called stelae, were once at the bottom of this stairway.
West Plaza Details
The Northwest Structure in the West Plaza is a small platform. It measures 5 meters (16 feet) north-south and 6 meters (20 feet) east-west.
Ancient Roads: The Causeways
The North Causeway is the longest road at Ixtonton. It stretches for 550 meters (1,800 feet) and is about 15 meters (49 feet) wide. It was built to stay level even on hilly ground. This causeway connects the main city area to other groups of buildings in the north.
The South Causeway is 150 meters (490 feet) long and 20 meters (66 feet) wide. It leads to a group of buildings on a raised platform.
The West Causeway is 470 meters (1,540 feet) long and 20 meters (66 feet) wide. It connects the main city area to another important group of buildings called Group 2.
Other Parts of the City
Ixtonton had about 120 groups of homes, spread out with empty areas in between. These empty areas might have been used for farming. The outer parts of the city include 79 archaeological groups on 64 different hills. These hills range from small bumps to over 20 meters (66 feet) high. Sadly, about 75% of these areas have been damaged by looters.
Group 2
Group 2 is located northwest of the city's main area, on a hill that might have been shaped by people. It has several mounds that surround a raised plaza. This group is the most important one outside the main city center. It had a stairway leading up from the West Causeway. One building in Group 2 was over 8.5 meters (28 feet) tall, making it the tallest outside the city core.
Group 28
Group 28 is on a limestone hill in the southwestern part of the site. It was dug up by students in 1995. This group has 29 homes, mostly on top of the hill. Some were also built on a flat area on the side of the hill. Group 28 has been badly damaged by looters and by modern farming.
The buildings found here were all built during the Late Classic period and used until the Terminal Classic. People probably lived here even into the Postclassic period. When they dug up the patio of Group 28, they found rubble from the Late Preclassic period. This suggests older buildings were taken down to make way for new ones. Many items were found in Group 28, including pottery, stone tools, and tools made from bone and antler.
Structure 1 in Group 28 was larger than the other buildings. It was likely used for important political or administrative tasks. It measures 7.8 by 11.3 meters (26 by 37 feet).
Important Stone Monuments
Ixtonton once had many stelae, which are tall carved stone slabs. However, most of them were stolen before the site was officially recorded. Only two stelae remain in their original places. There are also several plain altars, some round and some flat.
Stela 1 is badly damaged. It was found in the center of the West Plaza. It was made of limestone and had carvings on only one side, showing four columns of ancient Maya writing.
Stela 2 was found near the E-Group's central stairway. It was made of slate and measured 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long. It showed a carved person holding a special staff. The carving is badly damaged, and the face is gone.
Ancient Burials
Several burials, from Burial 138 to Burial 145, were found in Group 28. Most of these were too disturbed to give much information. Most were adults.
Burial 142 was found inside Structure 13 in Group 28. It was an adult male, laid on his back in a stone box. With him was an offering of a ceramic bowl and a colorful vase. This burial is from the Late Classic period.
Burial 145 was found inside Structure 11 in Group 28. The person was laid on their left side in a stone box. A ceramic bowl was placed near the head, and a flint arrowhead was also part of the offering. This burial is also from the Late Classic period.
See also
In Spanish: Ixtontón para niños
