Uaxactún Archeological Site

Uaxactún is quite different than Tikal; it is within a quiet sleepy little village. It is 23 km (15 miles) on the north side of Tikal National Park, but the road there was a rough white limestone dirt road and took me over an hour to drive. The road was very dry and dusty so when I arrived my wonderful green Toyota 4Runner was now white with dust and in desperate need of a washing.  

This site is far less developed than Tikal but still well worth a visit; it is situated within the confines of a working community so you need to walk through the village to get to the different sections of the site. I stayed there for three nights and it only rained a little so it made for a very pleasant stay (their rainy season can be intense and extreme). 

Uaxactún was founded around 500BC and was occupied until shortly after 900AD, giving it a 1400 year history. The archaeological site is divided by an esplanade made into two main compounds. Group A and B had the most complex buildings and compounds. Group D, E, F, and H are the oldest in Uaxactun and present much monumental architecture and sculptures. 

Uaxactún’s name was proposed in 1916 by U.S. Archaeologist, Sylvanus Morley. It is composed of two Mayan words Uaxac (eight) and tún (stone) and makes reference to the Mayan date 8 Bak’tun engraved on stela 9 and means 328AD. 

Both sites are within the Mayan Biosphere Reserve, the largest tract of forest in Guatemala and protected from threats from fire, deforestation caused by the expansion of agriculture and ranching, illegal hunting and logging, trafficking of wildlife, water pollution to name a few. 

The tropical forest consists of six different layers, emergent, canopy, under canopy, shrub layer, forest floor and the organic soil strata. It provides food and homes to wildlife such as jaguars, spider and howler monkeys, peccaries, deer, ocelots, and more than 400 different bird species.  

As I left Uaxactún to go back to Tikal, planning on camping there again for a night or two, there I will be able to give my great car a good washing. But as it turned out it has been raining at Tikal since I left. The dry dusty road was now wet, slippery and the mud got packed into the tread of my tires so they were as if they were bold. It is good that I have “low 4 wheel drive”, which makes my car trudge through just about anything. It is still raining and hard at times, so my car got a natural washing and is back to being green. 

       

Some of the main products produced in the area are:

In Mesoamerica the Sapodilla sap was chewed. 1860Thomas Adams figured out the “chicle” or sap could be used for producing chewing gum. 1875 Thomas Adams launched the Adams New York Chewing Gum brand. 1890 Guatemala starts production for export. 1891 Wrigley’s added mint to the chewing gum. 1918 Chicle Development Co and Wrigley Import Corporation are established in Petén. 

To facilitate the commercialization of chicle or white gold, in 1926 a landing strip for light aircrafts was built. It was not until 1980 the first road was built. The Sapodilla is one of the tallest trees in the Tropical Forest: up to 130 feet high and three feet in diameter. 

Allspice grows naturally in the rainforest of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It was discovered in the 15^th century by Spanish conquistadors who thought it was black pepper. In the 16^th century it was introduced to Europe and quickly became popular as a new spice, mainly in England. Allspice also has many uses not only as a condiment and seasoning for dishes and beverages. The fruit and leaves have medicinal qualities: as disinfectant, antiseptic, sedative, painkiller, and helps with digestive problems, as well as many other things.

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Tikal Archeological Site

Tikal Archeological Site is very nice, touristy and commercialized with hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The road (CA-13) into it was good by Central America standards. When I got here it hadn’t rained much for quite a while, this made it nice for me to climb the hillsides and ruins (when its wet it can be very slippery). 

 

The Holy Tree of Life

Tikal National Park is the sites official name; UNESCO World Heritage designated was made in 1979 at the 3^rd session in Cairo Egypt.

The ruins lie among the tropical rainforests of northern Guatemala that formed the cradle of lowland Maya civilization. The city itself was located among abundant fertile upland soils, and may have dominated a natural east-west trade route across the Yucatan Peninsula.

 

1849 the plan to excavate was started but not till 1882 did it really get underway and is still going on today.

CEIBA, “The Holy Tree of Life” for the Mayans, one is at the beginning of the park. 

Acroplis Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Plaza is the best all. It was the center of civic ceremonial actives for the Mayans and it contains Temples I and II, the Acroplis Center to the south and the Acropolis Norte to the north. 

Acropolis Norte

Temple I, Grand Jaguar Add caption

Temple I, Grand Jaguar is the most famous and widely photographed. Inside was found the tomb of the ruler Jasaw K’awiil Chan. It was built in 734AD and rises 47 meters (154 ft) high with GPS coordinates of 17°13′19.54″N, and 89° 37′25.01″W.

View of Temple I from Temple II

Temple II

 

Temple II located on the west side of the grand plaza, known as the “Temple of the Masks” It stand 38 meters tall and was built in 700AD by ruler Jasaw K’awiil Chan. Its carved wooden lintel sapodilla seems to portray the wife of the ruler.  

Temples I, II and III as seen from Temple IV

Temple III known as “The Great Temple of the Jaguar Priest” is still being unearthed and is the tallest of the three at 57 meters high. It was built in 810AD and it stands tall above the jungle as seen from Temple IV the most westerly part of the park. 

Temple IV

  

Temple IV is known as two headed serpent and is 800 meters to the west of the great plaza. It consists of seven bodies and reaches 70 meters tall. It is the tallest temple of Tikal and Mesoamerican, higher than the Temple of the Sun in Teotihuacan in Mexico. The builder was Chan K’awiil Yik’in around 740AD. It is still under renovation.

Temple V

 

Temple V is located to the south of the Central Acropolis, and east of the Plaza of Seven Temples. Stand 57 meters tall and is believed to be built during the Early Classic Period (550-650AD).

 

Sloping Panel Temple in the Lost World

The Lost World Pyramid was built around 900BC, is one of the oldest in Tikal and the last to be excavated. It was used for astronomy by the Mayans. At each cardinal point it has four masks representing Chac, god of rainhz.

One of the Twin Temples

Complex Q, is to have the largest twin pyramids but there was only one as yet uncovered, that I saw. The south side of the structure has nine entries and the pyramid has nine plain stelae and altars in the front.

There are two museums to see that were Q10 each, but now it is Q30, and that gets you in to both. They are both worth visiting.

Camping on site is Q50 per day and they have good bathrooms and showers. But best of all, you get covered areas for your tent that keeps it cool and protected from the hot sun and hard rains.

Jaguar Inn also has a very small camping space but it only has one covered areas that when I look it had 4 tents under it, at Q50 each, bathrooms but no showers.

Maya Ruins of Quirigua, Guatemala

Maya Ruins of Quirigua, Guatemala; near Lago de Izabal, north of Honduras and south of Belize. It is set in an isolated rainforest pocket, surrounded by banana plantations and home to some of the finest Maya carvings (only Copan in Honduras are better they say). 

The sites magnificent stelae, altars and zoomorphs, are covered and well preserved. The stelae were built during the reign of Causac Sky and depict his image. The nine stelae are the tallest in the Maya world. The tallest one is eight meters (26 ft) above ground and weighs 65 tons. 

This site is small and well maintained with a very small museum (free) which explains the sites history starting from 250BC to 738AD when Causac Sky was beheaded. Jade Sky in 790 took the throne and for more than 50 years the area embarked on a building boom including radical reconstruction of the acropolis. From the end of Jade rule to the mid ninth century the historical records fade out, as does the time of prosperity and power.

 

The price for this site was 80Q ($10US) I found that was too much, but if you plan on staying overnight then it is OK.

Camping is available overnight in the parking lot free. After about 5pm you have the place to yourself except the night guard. This spot is quiet and restful, without hookups but bathrooms are available.   

Snorkeling the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Chile

Over the past two years, I have traveled and snorkeled my way along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Chile. Frankly I have found only one spot worthy of the time and money to dive or snorkel and that was Coral Beach at Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo just northwest of Acapulco, Mexico. But if you have never snorkeled or scuba dive before than add the beach at Soggy Pesos in San Carlos north of Guaymas, Mexico. 

There have been some different spots that have been fun but far from special and overall the Pacific Coast has been disappointing. 

The major reason for this disappointment has been the lack of preservation and/or marine controls or laws from country to country. I was going to say the poorer countries are the worst offender, but in fact, we back in the United States, are for the most part just as bad. Everyone thinks that they can take all they want today and there will still be more it to take tomorrow. But I have seen firsthand that is not true. We must, worldwide, work on conservation and proper management of all of our resources. There is a limit to what we have and what we can use… 

The abuse that has been going on for hundreds of years now must come to an end; the world is at a precipice and it is our children and grandchildren that will pay the price for our greed today.

We as people of the world can and must work harder to conserve and protect or we will not have anything for tomorrow. This is a fact that can be seen throughout the world…

Please open your eyes and do something; do not just sit on your hands!!!!!!!