Quiriguá
Late Classic Maya·Maya (K'ak' Tiliw satellite of Copán)·🇬🇹 Izabal, Guatemala
About
About Quiriguá
Quiriguá in Izabal, Guatemala is a Late Classic Maya ancient city attributed to Maya (K'ak' Tiliw satellite of Copán) culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 149). Settlement complex with stratified occupation, demonstrating urban planning and craft production.
Why it mattersRepresentative Maya (K'ak' Tiliw satellite of Copán) site contributing to understanding of ancient-city distribution.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function and sequencing of Quiriguá within regional landscape
- 02Chronometric precision and construction organization without modern tools
Theories
- 01Regional ceremonial centre for Maya (K'ak' Tiliw satellite of Copán) communities
- 02Territorial marker and ancestral burial focus
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 426–810 CE
- Period
- Late Classic Maya
- Culture
- Maya (K'ak' Tiliw satellite of Copán)
- Purpose
- Motagua valley trade centre with tallest stone stelae in Maya world (Stela E 10.6 m, 65 t) and 3 m zoomorph boulders for calendar rites
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 426–810 CE
Initial construction
c. 1482 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
15.2690° N · 89.0400° W · 80 m · 1 mapped feature
Quiriguá — Main Feature
structurePrimary structure / enclosure at Quiriguá
15.2700° N · 89.0390° W
Gallery