La Muerta
{{Maya civilization}}
La Muerta is a Maya archaeological site in the northern Petén region of Guatemala, located between the sites of El Mirador and El Tintal.Suyuc et al 2005, p.69. It is located on a promontory {{convert|3.5|km|mi}} south of the El Tigre complex of El Mirador, and it is considered a satellite of that city.Suyuc et al 2005, p.69. Hansen et al 1995, p.475. La Muerta was inhabited during the Early to Late Classic Period.Suyuc et al 2005, pp.69, 73. The site has been extensively looted.Suyuc et al 2005, p.69.
Although the precise origin of the name is unknown, the site takes its name from when it was used as a gum-gatherers' camp,Suyuc et al 2005, p.69. the name meaning "the dead (woman or thing)" in Spanish.
La Muerta was investigated by archaeologist Richard D. Hansen in the 1980s.Hansen et al 1995, p.475. Some of the roof combs of the structures remain in good condition.Hansen et al 1995, p.473. The site is divided into North and South Groups, located approximately {{convert|400|m|ft}} apart.Suyuc et al 2005, p.69. Eleven residential areas have been identified within these two groups.Suyuc et al 2005, p.69.
Structures
Structure A1 is a temple with a north-facing stairway.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. The building measures {{convert|11.5|m|ft}} by {{convert|8.6|m|ft}} and is {{convert|9.4|m|ft}} high,Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. with walls built of limestone.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. The structure has been severely damaged by looters.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. During archaeological investigations of the building, a damaged but finely crafted stucco face was excavated.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72.
Structure A2 is a pyramid immediately to the west of Structure A1 and has been badly damaged by a combination of natural erosion and looting.Suyuc et al 2005, pp.69, 72. Archaeologists have completely excavated the interior of the structure.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. The structure has six vaulted rooms of different sizes with fine stucco floors.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. The walls had been partially faced with stucco which showed traces of red paint.Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. The building had stairways on the north and south sides,Suyuc et al 2005, p.72. these were flanked by poorly preserved sculpted masks that had traces of red and blue paint.Suyuc et al 2005, p.73. Investigations of Structure A2 have revealed abundant ceramics dating to both the Early and Late Classic.Suyuc et al 2005, p.73.
Structure 2 at La Muerta is one of the most unusual Maya buildings in the northern Petén region, with a two-level subterranean labyrinth.Hansen et al 1995, p.475.
Monuments
Monument 1 is a sculptured stela that was found in the North Group.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78. It was in a very poor state of preservation, being badly eroded and broken into more than 900 fragments of various sizes.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78. It is likely that the monument was deliberately destroyed in antiquity.Suyuc et al 2005, p.79. The stela bears the image of a head in profile, wearing a mask.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78. The face is above the representation of a large monster head with upper teeth.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78. A column of at least six hieroglyphs is also present.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78. The main figure is thought to be that of a deity.Suyuc et al 2005, p.78.
Stela 2 is an isolated monument located about {{convert|100|m|ft}} north of the path leading to El Mirador.Suyuc et al 2005, p.79. It is a limestone stela measuring {{convert|2.9|m|ft}} tall, and is divided into upper and lower portions by a worn depression.Suyuc et al 2005, pp.79, 81. The stela has several carved circular cavities measuring roughly {{convert|6|cm|in}} across and {{convert|3|cm|in}} deep but is otherwise plain, it may originally have been covered in painted stucco.Suyuc et al 2005, p.79.
Notes
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References
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- {{cite web |author=Hansen, Richard D. |author-link=Richard D. Hansen |author2=Beatriz Balcárcel |author3=Gustavo Martínez Hidalgo |author4=José S. Suasnávarand |author5=Richard L. Wigle |author6=Obed Gálvez Mis |year=1995 |title=Exploraciones preliminares en el sitio La Muralla, Petén |url=http://www.asociaciontikal.com/pdf/37.94_-_Hansen_et_al.pdf |format=PDF online publication |work=VIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1994 (edited by J.P. Laporte and H. Escobedo) |pages=471–483 |publisher=Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, Guatemala |access-date=2009-06-23 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707182222/http://www.asociaciontikal.com/pdf/37.94_-_Hansen_et_al.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-07 }}
- {{cite web |author=Suyuc, Edgar |author2=Beatriz Balcárcel |author3=Francisco López |author4=Silvia Alvarado |year=2005 |title=Excavaciones en el sitio La Muerta, Cuenca Mirador, Petén |url=http://www.asociaciontikal.com/pdf/07%20-%20Suyuc%20y%20Balcarcel.04.pdf |format=PDF online publication |work=XVIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2004 (edited by J.P. Laporte, B. Arroyo and H. Mejía) |pages=69–84 |publisher=Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, Guatemala |access-date=2009-06-23 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707181652/http://www.asociaciontikal.com/pdf/07%20-%20Suyuc%20y%20Balcarcel.04.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-07 }}
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{{Maya sites}}
{{coord missing|Guatemala}}