Tamarindito facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tamarindito

Location in Guatemala
Location	Sayaxché
Region	Petén Department, Guatemala
Coordinates	16°27′0″N 90°13′48″W / 16.45000°N 90.23000°W / 16.45000; -90.23000
History
Abandoned	9th century AD
Periods	Classic
Cultures	Maya
Events	Conquered by: Dos Pilas
Site notes
Excavation dates	1990–1994, 2009–
Archaeologists	Stephen D. Houston, Oswaldo Chinchilla, Juan Antonio Valdés, Markus Eberl Petexbatun Regional Archaeological Project
Architecture
Architectural styles	Classic Maya
Architectural details	Number of monuments: 20
Responsible body: Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes / Instituto de Antropología e Historia

Tamarindito is an ancient city built by the Maya civilization. It is located in the Petén region of Guatemala. This city was once the capital of the Petexbatún area during the Early Classic period.

Later, a new powerful city called Dos Pilas took control of the region. However, in the 8th century, Tamarindito fought back and defeated Dos Pilas. After this big event, the whole region became unstable. Many people left, and Tamarindito was mostly abandoned by the 9th century AD.

Tamarindito was the third largest city in its region. It was one of the first cities built near the Pasion River. It was also the first site in the Petexbatún area to have its own special symbol, called an Emblem Glyph. Archaeologists found a royal tomb under one of its temples. Even though it was damaged, it held many valuable items.

Where is Tamarindito?

Tamarindito sits on top of a high hill in northern Guatemala. This hill is part of a series of hills in the Petexbatún region. From the highest point, called Cerro de Cartografía, you can see far across the land. You can even see the Pasión River and other ancient sites like Punta de Chimino.

The city is located near three small lakes and two springs. These lakes are named Laguna Tamarindito, Laguna El Raicero, and Laguna Las Pozas. Tamarindito is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Dos Pilas, its old rival.

Who Ruled Tamarindito?

Archaeologists have identified twelve rulers of Tamarindito. The dates below show when they ruled. "Ca." means "around" and "a." means "after."

The ancient writings at Tamarindito suggest a very long line of rulers. One ruler, Aj Ihk' Wolok, claimed to be the 25th in line. This means they believed their royal family started a very long time ago.

History of Tamarindito

The Petexbatún region was first settled a very long time ago, between 2000 and 1000 BC. Tamarindito started as a small town in the Early Classic period. Its rulers believed their family line went back even further, into the Preclassic period.

By the 7th century AD, Tamarindito was the main city in the Petexbatún region. It even had a smaller capital nearby called Arroyo de Piedra. But then, the powerful city of Tikal built a new city, Dos Pilas. Tikal wanted to control the important Pasión River trade route.

In the Late Classic period, Tamarindito grew a lot. It reached its largest population in the 8th century AD, just like Dos Pilas and Aguateca. A king named Chanal Balam became ruler in 760 AD. On January 26, 761 AD, Tamarindito defeated Dos Pilas. King Chanal Balam either captured or sent away the last king of Dos Pilas.

This victory by Tamarindito caused a lot of trouble in the Petexbatún region. The defeated city of Dos Pilas was almost empty. The whole area became very unstable, with more and more fighting. Within 50 years of its victory, Tamarindito's population dropped by almost 80 percent. Some people might have moved to Punta de Chimino.

By the end of the Classic period, the Petexbatún region was full of war. All the major cities were in ruins. The fighting, which started as a struggle for power, turned into intense wars between close neighbors. The area became a "landscape of fear," and many sites built defenses.

Tamarindito's population fell, and many homes were left empty. By the 9th century, Tamarindito was just a small village. A few families lived near the springs. This might mean people came back after the wars ended and the population had greatly reduced.

Modern Discoveries

In 1970, Tamarindito was declared a National Prehispanic Monument by the Guatemalan government. Sadly, the site was looted in the 1970s and 1980s. Looters dug into the pyramids and took parts of the ancient writings. By the 1990s, looting became less common.

Archaeologists started mapping Tamarindito in 1984. Ian Graham, Merle Greene, and Stephen D. Houston found some important monuments, including Hieroglyphic Stairway 3. The Petexbatún Regional Archaeological Project began more detailed studies in 1990. They continued to excavate the site's palaces until 1994.

Exploring the Ancient City

Tamarindito was built in a smart location, on the highest part of the hills. In the Early Classic period, it became the most important city in the region. Tamarindito and its nearby city, Arroyo de Piedra, were like one kingdom. They even shared the same emblem glyph.

Even though Tamarindito was close to its enemy, Dos Pilas, it did not have big defensive walls. The land between Tamarindito and Aguateca was very good for farming. People grew many crops there, and you can still see the remains of low walls that divided their fields.

The city also had special sunken gardens and dams. These were part of a clever farming system used in the Late to Terminal Classic periods. Tamarindito was the best farming center in the Petexbatún region. It likely sent much of its food to Dos Pilas as a tribute.

Tamarindito has over 140 buildings. These include six tall stone monuments called stelae, seven carved panels, two altars, and a ballcourt for the Mesoamerican ballgame. It also has three staircases with hieroglyphic writings. One is called the "Prisoner Staircase." It tells the story of how a ruler from Dos Pilas was defeated and captured.

The city is divided into two main parts: Group A and Group B. Both groups have sculptures. The palaces in Group A were likely homes for important people. The palaces in Group B were probably used for government and meetings.

Tamarindito is different from other sites in its region. It doesn't have defensive walls. Its homes are grouped around small courtyards. It also has a long, raised road called a sacbe leading to the city's main area. Most buildings today are just platforms, but some still have stairs and walls.

Stela 5 shows an Early Classic king holding a stone knife. This knife is similar to one found in the tomb of King Chan Balam.

Group A

Group A is also known as the Cerro de Cartografía Group. It is located about 203 meters (666 feet) above sea level. This group has a pyramid, other buildings, and terraces. Most of the activity here was during the Late Classic period. Group A mainly has homes, including several palaces. Only a few had stone roofs; most likely had palm roofs. Group A started small in the Early Classic but grew a lot in the Late Classic.

• Structure 1 is a temple on the south side. Sculptures found here are from the Early Classic period.
• Structure 5 (also called Palace 5) is the highest palace in Group A. It had a vaulted roof. This building faced north, away from the main plaza.
• Structure 7 (also called Palace 7) is a palace built opposite Structure 5. It is from the Late Classic period. It had one room with two stone benches. The outside walls were red and orange, and the inside was red.
• Structure 13 (also called Palace 13) is in the northern part of Group A. It was built in three stages, with the oldest part from the Early Classic.

Archaeologists also found two burials in Group A:

• Burial 2 contained the remains of a female from the Late Classic period.
• Burial 3 contained the remains of an adult with two ceramic pieces. These pieces date the burial to the beginning of the Late Classic.

Group B

Group B is on a nearby hilltop to the southwest. It has a plaza surrounded by temples and palaces. A sacbe (causeway) runs from the plaza to other temple groups. Group B is the larger of the two main groups. It seems to have been where the rulers lived and worked. It has more formal buildings for rituals, administration, and homes.

• The Southeast Plaza was where the ruling families lived. It was not connected to the main sacbe.
• Structure 31, along with Structures 32 and 33, forms a small plaza.
• Structure 32 and Structure 33 were administrative buildings in the North Plaza.
• Structure 44 is a pyramid on the west side of the Central Plaza. It is about 10 meters (33 feet) tall, making it one of the highest buildings. The upper part was damaged by looters. Hieroglyphic Stairway 2 forms the first five steps of this structure. The tomb of King Chanal Balam was found under this temple.
• Structure 61 is special because of a chultun (an underground storage room) found under its stairway. It was empty and sealed, possibly meant for a burial that never happened.

Group B has all three hieroglyphic stairways found at the site. These stairs tell the history of the city's rulers.

• Hieroglyphic Stairway 2 describes the capture of King K'awiil Chan K'inich of Dos Pilas. It tells about Tamarindito's victory in 761 AD.
• Hieroglyphic Stairway 3 was found in 1984. It included the site's emblem glyph and the ahau title, which means "ruling lord."

Royal Tomb Discovery

Archaeologists found a royal tomb under Structure 44. Looters had dug a tunnel, but it collapsed before they reached the tomb, leaving it untouched. The tomb belonged to King Chanal Balam, the ruler who defeated Dos Pilas in 761 AD. The temple above the tomb has writings celebrating his great victory.

The tomb was about 10 meters (33 feet) under the temple. The king's bones were found lying on his back, facing north. The bones were not well preserved because the tomb's ceiling had collapsed. The king's body was placed on a layer of obsidian chips. After the burial, many layers of flint and obsidian chips were scattered around the tomb. Over 460 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of chips were found.

Rich offerings were found near the king's head, in the only part of the tomb that hadn't collapsed. These included nine ceramic pots, some with colorful paintings. One pot showed a scene of court life from another Maya city. A stingray spine was found near the king's hips. An obsidian knife was at his waist. A large, 50-centimeter (20-inch) long flint knife was placed on his chest. This type of knife is shown in Maya art used for sacrifices. A spondylus shell, jade earspools, and jade beads were also found near his head. In 1995, this was the richest burial found in the Petexbatún region.

Smaller Groups of Buildings

There are many smaller groups of buildings at Tamarindito, mostly east of the main city center. Twelve residential areas have been mapped on the hillsides. These groups often have four buildings surrounding a central courtyard. These twelve groups contain 56 buildings.

• Group Q4-1 had ceramic remains from the Terminal Classic period. It's unusual because it's located low on the hillside, near farming terraces and water.
• Group Q5-1 has four buildings around a courtyard. A pyramid is on the west side. This group is from the Late Classic period. Seven high-status burials were found here.
• Group Q5-2 is interesting because it has a small cave under its main building. Near the cave entrance, archaeologists found a large shell cut in half. It was used as a scribe's inkwell, like those seen in Maya art. This suggests the group was home to a scribe. It is from the Late Classic period.
• Group Q6-2 has buildings on three sides of a courtyard. It's close to Group A. This group was home to high-status people during the Late Classic. The buildings were made of well-cut stones and had stucco floors. This group seems to have been where skilled workers made fancy stone items for the elite.

Farming Terraces

Tamarindito has many ancient farming terraces. These terraces follow the shape of the hills for long distances. They are marked by rows of stones. There are also terraces built into hollows between hills, using small walls of large stones. These show how the Maya used the land for farming.

See also

In Spanish: Tamarindito para niños