Zaculeu
Zaculeu or Saqulew is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site in the highlands of western Guatemala, about 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) outside the modern city of Huehuetenango. Occupation at the site dates to the Early Classic period (AD 250–600) of Mesoamerican history. Zaculeu was the capital of the Postclassic Mam kingdom, and was conquered by the Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj. It displays a mixture of Mam and Kʼicheʼ style architecture.
Plaza 1 with Structure 6 at the left and Structure 1 at the right. The small platforms in the plaza are Structures 11 and 12. | |
Location within Mesoamerica | |
| Alternative name | Saqulew |
|---|---|
| Location | Huehuetenango |
| Region | Huehuetenango Department, Guatemala |
| Coordinates | 15°20′1.66″N 91°29′33.88″W |
| History | |
| Founded | Early Classic c.AD 250–600 |
| Abandoned | 1525 |
| Periods | Early Classic to Late Postclassic |
| Cultures | Maya civilization |
| Events | Conquered by: Kʼicheʼ Kingdom of Qʼumarkaj (Postclassic) Gonzalo de Alvarado y Contreras of Spain (1525) |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1940s |
| Archaeologists | John M. Dimick |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Mesoamerican pyramids with talud-tablero style architecture and double stairways |
| Restored by United Fruit Company (Late 1940s) Responsible body: Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes | |
In AD 1525 the city was attacked by Spanish conquistadors under Gonzalo de Alvarado y Contreras during a siege that lasted several months. Kayb'il B'alam, the city's last ruler, finally surrendered to the Spanish due to starvation.
The site contains a number of temple-pyramids with talud-tablero style architecture and double stairways. The pyramids and governmental palaces are grouped around a series of large public plazas. The site also holds a court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. The site was originally fortified with walls.
The site was restored by the United Fruit Company in the late 1940s. It is open to tourists and includes a small museum.