Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE MIRADOR BASIN
The 2169 sq km of tropical forest surrounding El Mirador harbors dozens of other substantial cities that flour-
ished during the middle- and late-Preclassic eras as well. At least six major causeways connected El Mirador to
these satellites, an engineering feat that enabled it to become what was possibly the New World's first political
state. The four largest cities in the vicinity are all within a day's walk of El Mirador.
El Tintal
(23km southwest of El Mirador) One of the largest and most important Preclassic cities, with a moat
surrounding the civic center and one of the biggest ball courts in El Petén.
Wakná
(15km south) Built around what is possibly the largest astronomical observatory in the Maya world, with
Preclassic murals and a series of internal causeways.
Nakbé
(13km southeast) Established around 1200 BC, it grew to be one of the most important Preclassic sites. El
Mirador was probably modeled upon this predecessor. All the characteristic features of Maya civilization - monu-
mental architecture, palaces, causeways and ball courts - had appeared here by 600 BC.
Xulnal
(7km west of El Tintal) Discovered in 2001. Pottery found here is evidence of some of the earliest occu-
pation in the Mirador Basin.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Nakum
A contemporary of Tikal, Nakum was a significant port on the Holmul river during the
late Classic Period, when that waterway linked Tikal with the Caribbean coast. It's 17km
north of Yaxhá, a 1½ hour drive over a rough road that's impassable from August to Janu-
ary (though it was improved by the crew of
Survivor Guatemala,
which was shot here).
Remote as this spot is, it's particularly exciting to find such a formidable group of
structures here. The excavated section is not huge but it packs in a lot. Excavation is on-
going and you're likely to see the archaeology crews at work. Archaeological research fo-
cuses on the predominance of
talud-tablero
type structures in the south section, suggest-
ing a connection with Teotihuacán in Mexico, and seeks to understand why Nakum flour-
ished during the Terminal Classic at a time when its contemporaries were collapsing all
around it.
The site features two major architectural groups, the North and South Sectors, connec-
ted by a causeway; most of the excavated structures are in the latter. The most interesting
served roofcomb with a clearly visible mask. In tandem with the pyramidal structure op-
posite, it presumably served as some kind of astronomical observatory
