Naachtun facts for kids

Naachtun is an ancient Maya city. It's an archaeological site located in northern Guatemala. This important city was part of the Mirador Basin region. It was one of the few cities from the early Maya period that continued to be important into the later Classic period.

Naachtun is in a very remote area, far from today's towns. An American archaeologist named Sylvanus Morley first found and wrote about the site in 1922. He named it Naachtun, which means "distant stones" in the Maya language. This name fit well because of how far away it was.

The city's old name was Masuul. It was located right between two powerful Classic Maya cities: Tikal and Calakmul. These two cities were often at war. Researchers from the Calgary University believe Naachtun might have been a "neutral talk place" where they could meet. A carved stone monument, called a stela, showing the "Lady of Tikal" was recently found here.

History of Naachtun

Naachtun grew and changed over many centuries. Here's a quick look at its main periods:

Naachtun began to grow significantly during the Early Classic period. This was when a royal family started to rule the city. At this time, Naachtun developed strong connections with Tikal.

The city's residential areas, where people lived, were most populated during the Late Classic period. During the early part of the Late Classic, a big political change happened. The city of Calakmul took control of an area in Naachtun called the East Plaza of Group B. Because of this, Naachtun's ties with Tikal were cut for a while. However, these connections were re-established later, during the Maax 3 phase (740-830 CE).

By the Terminal Classic period, Naachtun's population started to shrink. Many homes were left empty. The people who remained moved to the Central and Southern Complexes in Group B. They stayed there until the end of the 10th century.

Archaeologists believe the people of Naachtun used slash and burn farming. This method involves cutting down and burning plants to clear land for crops.

Exploring the Naachtun Site

Naachtun is a very large ancient city. It has several big pyramid temples and acropolises (high, fortified parts of a city). These main areas are connected by ancient Maya roads called sacbeob. The site also has two ballcourts, where the Maya played a special game.

The central part of Naachtun is on a limestone ridge. This ridge borders a seasonal swamp to the north. To the south, there are many residential areas of different sizes. The main buildings cover about 0.29 square kilometers. They are spread out from east to west.

Research shows that Naachtun started as a small settlement during the Late Preclassic period. It then grew quickly during the Early Classic period. It remained a large city until the Terminal Classic period. The site is divided into three main parts: Group A, Group B, and Group C. Most buildings in Groups C and A were built during the Balam 2 phase (350–500 CE).

Group A

Group A has three large open areas called plazas: the north, south, and west plazas. It also includes a large E-Group, which is a special arrangement of buildings used for observing the sun. There are two pyramids here: Structure XXVII and "La Perdida." Group A also has a walled area with several palace-like buildings. A ballcourt is located near Structures XIII and XIV.

Group B

Group B is like a maze of stone residential buildings. These buildings are on low platforms and surround several patios. This group includes a Western, Central, and Southern Complex. There is also a pyramid called Structure XXV and a radial pyramid known as Structure XXXVIII. Public buildings (Structure 60-3 and 60-4) are arranged around two plazas: East Plaza and Plaza Río Bec. The East Plaza was likely where the most important people lived.

Group C

Group C contains several pyramid-shaped buildings. It also has a triadic group called Structure I. A triadic group is a large pyramid with two smaller buildings facing it on a shared platform. Structure I is connected to the ballcourt in Group A by a sacbe.

Ancient Stone Monuments (Stelae)

Archaeologists have found 45 stelae at Naachtun. Stelae are tall, carved stone monuments often used by the Maya to record history or honor rulers.

One interesting stela, called Stela 18, shows a very large woman. She appears to be crushing a captive from a place called Ox-Te-Tun beneath her. Stela 18 is located in Group B, on a terrace in front of Structure XXXVIII. It dates back to the Late Classic period.

See also

In Spanish: Naachtún para niños