La Joyanca facts for kids
La Joyanca is the modern name for an ancient Maya city. It is an archaeological site located in the Petén department of Guatemala. This important city was part of the amazing Maya civilization.
Archaeologists found La Joyanca in 1994. This happened during the building of an oil pipeline. They quickly realized it was a major, undiscovered Maya city from the Classic period (AD 200-900).
From 1998 to 2003, a team of archaeologists worked at La Joyanca. Charlotte Arnauld, Erik Ponciano, and Veronique Breuil led this project. Some of these researchers continued their work at other nearby Maya sites. These include Zapote Bobal and Pajaral.
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Exploring the Ancient City: Archaeology at La Joyanca
La Joyanca was a busy place for over 1000 years. People lived here from about 200 BC (Late Preclassic period) until AD 1000 (Terminal Classic/Postclassic period).
The city grew the most during the Late Classic period (AD 600-900). During this time, the rulers of La Joyanca started big building projects. These projects focused on two main areas: the Plaza Principal and the Grupo Guacamaya.
The Royal Palace: Grupo Guacamaya
The Grupo Guacamaya was a large complex. It had many rooms with arched ceilings and long hallways. Archaeologists believe this was the palace where the rulers lived. It was likely the center of the local government.
After this successful time, the city, like many other Maya cities, faced a big decline. By AD 1000, people had completely left La Joyanca.
Important Buildings and Structures
The central part of La Joyanca has several temple-pyramids and other large mounds. The two tallest pyramids in the Plaza Principal are about 10 and 12 meters high.
Archaeologists have restored some of these buildings. Structure 6E-12, for example, has several vaulted rooms. It also has pieces of hieroglyphic writing. Inside, there is a stucco image of K'inich Ajaw. This is the Classic Maya sun god.
Another important building is Structure 6E-13. It stands on a platform 6 meters high and 56 meters long. This building also has several rooms.
What Made La Joyanca Different?
Even though the Grupo Guacamaya seems like a palace, La Joyanca is different from many other Maya cities. It doesn't have a clear central area like Tikal or El Peru.
Archaeologists found few carved monuments here. There was no ballcourt. Also, there are not many signs of a very strong, centralized royal family.
The number of people living in the area changed a lot over time. Some areas were lived in for a long time. But other communities, like the small Gavilán Group, seemed to be occupied for only a short time.
Who Ruled La Joyanca?
We don't know many names of the important people who ruled La Joyanca. Their names are mostly missing from the archaeological record.
However, a researcher named David Stuart found something interesting. He discovered a name, Chan Ahk, or "Sky/Serpent Turtle," on La Joyanca Stela 1. This stone monument dates to AD 485.
This same name is also found at the nearby sites of Zapote Bobal and Pajaral. This suggests that La Joyanca, Zapote Bobal, and Pajaral were connected during the Classic Period (AD 200-900). They might have even formed a political group, with each city gaining and losing power over time.
See also
In Spanish: La Joyanca para niños
