Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With the submission of the Kaqchikels, the Spanish were now free to turn
on the K′iche′, whom they met in battle near present-day Quetzaltenango. The
K′iche′ invited the Spanish to their mountain fortress at
K′umarcaaj,
site of a
failed ambush against the European invaders. Today, the largely unrestored ruins
arestillthesiteofMayanritualsandfeatureanoteworthyundergroundcavetun-
nel.
NearthecityofHuehuetenango,theinhabitantsoftheMamceremonialsiteof
Zaculeu
were done in by starvation after Pedro de Alvarado's brother laid siege
to the city for two months. Northwest of Guatemala City, the ruins of
Mixco
Viejo
were once the Poqomam capital and ceremonial center, falling to Pedro de
Alvarado in 1525 after a typically ruthless attack. In addition to temple pyram-
ids, the site has two ball courts decorated with twin serpent sculptures harboring
human skulls in their open mouths, a rather unusual embellishment among Post-
classic highland sites and further evidence of the Toltec and Aztec influences of
the times.
banana plantation on the Pacific Coast
