Guatemala : Archeological sites |
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There are at least 5000 archaeological sites in Guatemala, 3000 of them in Petén alone.
Only a few of them have been restaured. The more known and visited sites are :Tikal, Yaxhá, Aguateca and Quirigua.
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Aguateca is a Maya site located in western Guatemala's Petexbatun Basin. The first settlements at Aguateca date to the late Preclassic period (B.C. 300 - A.D. 350), and the city was sacked and abandoned in the early 9th century. The site is surrounded by a lagoon, and is usually accessed by boat. |
Aguateca and the nearby city of Dos Pilas were the twin capitals of a powerful dynasty claiming descent from the rulers of Tikal. Aguateca sits on top of a 90 meter tall limestone bluff, creating a highly defensible position. There is an extensive system of defensive walls that surrounds the city. Around 700 A.D., Aguateca became a large, densly populated city, with a higher density of structures than most other lowland Maya sites. |
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During the reign of Tan Te' K'inich the city was invaded and burned. The city was completely abandoned around 830 A.D. A 6 meter tall temple at the site was left unfinished, demonstrating the sudden abandonment of the city.
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| Parts of this text are from Wkipedia |
