Yalain facts for kids
The Yalain were a group of Maya people who lived in northern Guatemala a long time ago. They were around during the Postclassic period, from about 1000 AD to 1697 AD. Their home was in the Petén area, near several lakes. A small town named Yalain was described in 1696 by a Spanish friar named Andrés de Avendaño y Loyola. This town had a few homes surrounded by good farmland. It was located east of Lake Petén Itzá. People from Nojpetén, the main city of the Itza kingdom, farmed these lands. We are still learning about how big the Yalain's territory was and what their ancient sites look like.
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Where the Yalain Lived
A researcher named Grant D. Jones first suggested that the Yalain lived around a town of the same name. This town was on the shores of Lake Macanché. Their land might have stretched east towards the Yaxhá and Sacnab lakes. This area used to belong to another Maya group called the Kowoj. The Itza took over this land in the 1630s.
Other researchers, Don and Prudence Rice, think the Yalain capital was not that far east. They believe it was closer to Lake Petén Itzá itself. This would make it easier for people from Nojpetén to farm there. Later, Jones wondered if the Yalain were truly independent. He thought they might have been allies or even under the control of the Itza.
When the Spanish arrived in Petén in 1697, the Yalain were indeed controlled by the Itza. Their ruler at that time was Aj Chan, who was the nephew of the Itza king. However, Don and Prudence Rice still argue that the Yalain were a distinct group, not just part of the Itza.
Records of baptisms after the Spanish conquest show different family names. The Yalain had some names similar to the Itza, but not all. Both the Yalain and Itza names were quite different from those of the Kowoj people. This suggests they were separate groups.
Yalain History
The Yalain seem to have been one of the three main groups in central Petén during the Postclassic period. The other two were the Kowoj and the Itza. At its strongest, the Yalain territory might have reached from the eastern shore of Lake Petén Itzá all the way to Tipuj in Belize. An ancient site called Muralla de León, east of Lake Macanché, might have been an early capital for the Yalain.
In the 1600s, the Yalain capital was on the north shore of Lake Macanché. Spanish records from that time mention fighting between Maya groups. The Kowoj moved into areas like Zacpeten on Lake Macanché and Ixlu on Lake Salpetén. Studies of these sites show that different groups lived there before the Kowoj took over. These original groups continued to live there even after the Kowoj became powerful.
When the Spanish arrived, the Yalain were allies with the Itza. This alliance was made stronger by leaders from both groups marrying each other. The Itza used the Yalain as a shield to protect their eastern lands from the Spanish coming from Belize.
Spanish Conquest and the Yalain
In 1697, the Spanish, led by Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi, conquered the Petén lakes region. At first, the Yalain cooperated with the Spanish. They even helped capture the Itza king. At this time, the Yalain were ruled by Chamach Xulu. The Yalain leaders encouraged their people to become Christian. They hoped this would help them keep peace with the Spanish soldiers.
However, over time, the Yalain became less cooperative with the Spanish. Soon after the conquest, the Yalain left their towns. They wanted to avoid Spanish soldiers who were taking Maya women for "service" at their camps. The people of Yalain settlements were so angry at the Spanish. They chose to burn their fields and break all their pottery. This way, nothing would be left for the Spanish. Records show that the Yalain capital itself was burned in 1698.
Yalain Buildings
The area where the Yalain lived has a special way of building. This style is mostly seen at the ruins of Yalain and at Ixlu. The Yalain building style includes three small C-shaped buildings. These are placed end-to-end along one side of a plaza, which is like a town square. They face a larger building that looks like an open hall. A small shrine is in the middle of the plaza. At the Yalain site, this shrine had parts of old Maya stone monuments, called Maya stelae, built into its walls.
While some buildings west of Ixlu have similar features, the full Yalain arrangement is not found further west. At Ixlu, the Yalain building style is found alongside the Kowoj style. This might show that Ixlu was a place where both groups had influence.
Yalain Archaeological Site
The ancient site of Yalain, which gives its name to the people, is about 300 meters (984 feet) from the northwest shore of Lake Macanché. It is thought to be the settlement called Ah K'in Kan Te' in old Spanish documents. The site has several small groups of homes. These homes date back to the Classic period (about 250 AD to 900 AD) and the Postclassic period. The main part of the site has a large plaza, about 95 by 70 meters (312 by 230 feet), that faces north and south.
