La Blanca, Peten
Encyclopedia
La Blanca is a Maya
archaeological site in the municipality
of Melchor de Mencos
in the northern Petén Department of Guatemala
. The site is located in the lower reaches of the Mopan River
valley and features a large acropolis complex. Principal occupation of the site has been dated to the Late Classic
period, although some level of occupation continued into the Early Postclassic.
La Blanca occupied a frontier zone between the northeastern and southeasten Petén regions and it is dominated by the acropolis, an especially well built palace complex. The city appears to have been an administrative centre with comparatively little emphasis upon religious or ceremonial activity. It is likely that La Blanca was a subsidiary of a major Maya city such as Yaxha
or Naranjo
, given the complete absence of hieroglyphic texts
and sculpted monuments. Archaeologists presume that La Blanca served as a frontier post or trading centre.
The end of formal occupation of the city in the Terminal Classic appears to have been violent, with evidence of a battle recovered from the acropolis.
to Melchor de Mencos highway, which it joins at La Pólvora. In the other direction this road leads approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to a village, also called La Blanca. The modern village of La Blanca extends along the shores of a small lake. The archaeological site is located to the south of a range of hills reaching a maximum height of 490 metres (1,607.6 ft).
The archaeological site occupies a small pocket of forest amongst an extensive region of cleared agricultural land. The agricultural land closest to the ruins is largely dedicated to livestock grazing, particularly cattle and horses. La Blanca is located close to the Mopan River and its tributary, the Salsipuedes River. Some of the land between the ruins and the rivers is subject to frequent flooding, a factor that must have had some impact upon the inhabitants of the city.
The forest covering the archaeological site reaches an average height of 22 metres (72.2 ft). It contains around 60 tree species, among which the most notable are breadnut trees (Brosimum alicastrum
) and corozo palms
(Orbignya cohune).
In the Late Classic there appears to have been greater public access to the acropolis, with stairways communicating between the various terraces leading up to the south range. During the Terminal Classic, these stairways were filled in, as were many of the access doorways to the acropolis itself, with some buildings being sealed completely. This closing of public access to the palace reflects the greater political instability engulfing the entire Petén region at this time. The acropolis complex was abandoned by the city's elite in the Terminal Classic, a time when most of the city centre was also deserted by its residents. Many flint projectile points were recovered from the south terraces of the acropolis, this combined with the remains of two individuals very near the surface indicates that a violent confrontation took place around the time that the city was abandoned.
Soon afterwards, at the dawn of the Postclassic, immediately after the Classic Maya collapse
, the acropolis was reoccupied by refugees from the periphery of the city. These final occupants appear to have abandoned the city some time in the 11th century AD, after which it was never reoccupied.
identified visible architecture at the site and marked it as El Castillito on a map of the region. Raymond F. Merwin visited La Blanca in 1913 on behalf of the Peabody Museum
of Harvard University
. He photographed the site and renamed it as Chac-Ha At this time the site appears to have been covered in dense vegetation, making exploration of the ruins difficult and resulting in only a brief description of the acropolis.
Ian Graham
published a plan of the site in 1980, based on explorations in preceding years. Further explorations have taken place on behalf of the Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala and the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo Project. The Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo Project started work at the site in 1994 with preliminary work consisted of mapping and photographing the ruins. In 1995 the ruins were cleared of undergrowth and in 1996 the Unidad de Arquelogía Regional de Guatemala (Guatemalan Regional Archaeology Unit) surveyed the ruins, recorded damage by looters and sank test pits, all under the direction of Vilma Fialko. In 1997 to 1998 looting damage was repaired and architecture deemed at risk of collapse was underpinned
. In 1999 further underpinning work was undertaken as a result of earthquake damage and detailed plans were made of the architecture in 2000. The Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala included La Blanca in its survey of three sites in the lower Mopan valley in 2001. More recently, investigations have been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture together with the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Valencia
. Excavations continued in 2004 both in the city centre and in the South Group, where looting damage was recorded and repaired.
has been dated to the Late Classic period. The layout of the city is somewhat unusual in that the north-south axis is oriented 12° west of north whereas most Maya cities have the major axis a similar amount east of north. The political and administrative functions were concentrated in the eastern portion of the city, which is taken to include the South Group, as evidenced by the superior architectural quality in these areas.
The Great North Plaza is a large square-plan plaza measuring 70 by. The Plaza was levelled by packing it with a clay-based mud, work that took place in the Late Classic Period based on the evidence of ceramic and flint artefacts recovered during investigations. This clay mud conataining attapulgite
was likely to have been brought to the city from the nearby swamps. Excavations in the plaza and close to the acropolis revealed the presence of a retaining wall
probably related to the construction of the great platform supporting the acropolis itself.
A 30 metres (98.4 ft) wide causeway
runs south from the Plaza, running to the west of the acropolis and parallel to it. This causeway runs south for approximately 300 metres (984.3 ft) to the South Group. The area west of the causeway contains a large number of smaller mounds and platforms and is believed to be an extensive residential area. This residential area includes three large plazas, the northern of which is divided from the Great North Plaza by a row of structures. A stairway may have led southwards from this down to the Central West Plaza, which is on the opposite side of the causeway from the Acropolis. The south side of the Central West Plaza is bordered by a 30 metres (98.4 ft) long structure that divides it from the South West Plaza. An area of smaller mounds extends further west and are believed to represent lesser residential districts of the city.
The area to the east of the city drops away rapidly and lacks extensive settlement remains, perhaps due to periodic flooding by the Mopan and Salsipuedes rivers discouraging the occupation of the eastern zone.
, a palace with an enclosed courtyard located within the Great North Plaza. The acropolis is also known as the Quadrangle due to its layout. A series of terraces lead down from the acropolis to a 1500 square metres (16,145.9 sq ft) reservoir to the south, which appears to have been a private water source for the palace. The reservoir itself is now dried out. The acropolis was accessed via a wide stairway from the Great North Plaza. The form of the plaza and the acropolis are unusual, although similar complexes have been identified at Tayasal
, Ixlú
and Kinal
.
Excavations in the acropolis revealed the presence of at least two superimposed platforms built with well finished stone blocks and covered with good quality stucco flooring. At a later date the platforms and courtyard were covered with unworked stones bound with mortar and covered with another stucco floor. The two platforms were built in the Late Classic and appear to have been covered over in the Terminal Classic.
The interior courtyard measures approximately 36 metres (118.1 ft) on each side and was completely enclosed by the palace, creating a very private space within. The buildings on the north, west and south sides faced outwards away from the private courtyard, opening onto it only via a central doorway in each structure. The eastern structure was built at a later date and possesses two lateral doorways and was the only side to face directly onto the courtyard, making it highly likely to have been the residence of the city's ruler. Entrance to the courtyard itself from outside the acropolis was via these central doorways on the north, south and west sides. Of these three entrances, the northern entrance appears to have been the main entrance to the acropolis complex. The south entrance was a more private entrance that opened from the acropolis onto the terraces leading down to the water source in that direction. The western entrance lead to the terrace 5 metres (16.4 ft) above the causeway, providing a balcony with an excellent view across the city.
The cut stone walls of the acropolis are of very high quality, constructed of large, finely cut blocks at times forming walls almost 2 metres (6.6 ft) thick, filled with rubble and mortar. The exterior faces of the walls are carefully finished, while the interiors possess good quality vaulted ceilings. Although such high quality work can be found in parts of major cities such as Tikal
, its presence in a smaller site such as La Blanca is considered surprising by archaeologists. The walls facing the interior courtyard have been especially well preserved. During survey work at the arcopolis, archaeologists discovered a 13.5 centimetres (5.3 in) long flint knife deliberately embedded in the interior of the north wall, it weighed 225 grams (7.9 oz). The knife was embedded in the mortar of the infill with the blade pointing outwards, with three embedded decorations near the tip. Archaeologists believe the blade was deposited during rituals associated with the construction of the building.
The outer eastern wall of the acropolis is especially well preserved, including a cornice 3.8 metres (12.5 ft) above the floor level of the building, which is 4 to 5 m (13.1 to 16.4 ft) above the plaza floor. The wall continued above the cornice for another 3 metres (9.8 ft) and this section probably supported a stucco
frieze. The entire eastern face of the building measured 32 metres (105 ft) long and stood 12 to 13 m (39.4 to 42.7 ft) above the level of the Great North Plaza. This wall was completely blank, without any doorways or other openings.
The range structures on the other sides of the courtyards, all opening outwards away from it, consisted of a series of rooms of varying size. The height of the rooms from the palace floor to the top of the vaulting was generally about 6 metres (19.7 ft) throughout the palace. The interior walls were originally painted red and black as demonstrated by surviving traces of pigment. The exterior facades of the range structures were originally decorated with sculpted stone friezes representing supernatural beings, fragments of which have been found amongst the collapsed rubble.
The vaulted ceilings of the palace were skillflly constructed, with sides of equal length unlike in other sites in the Petén region
where the sides of vaulted ceilings were often of different lengths. The vaulting is of exceptional height, reaching up to 4 metres (13.1 ft).
region of the northern Yucatán Peninsula
, at cities such as Cacabxnuc, Chelemi, Xcorralche and Xkalachetzimin, although they differ in other particulars, such as the vaulting.
Excavations immediately south of the south range uncovered part of a substructure consisting of a well preserved stucco-covered talud
wall and a stairway, these are thought to be the remains of a terrace platform. A portion of a second terrace talud wall was also uncovered.
The three main plazas of the West Group appear to have lacked stucco flooring and were instead covered with stone chippings.
and there were also a number of other buildings. One of the mounds measures approximately 9 metres (29.5 ft) high and was almost cut in half by a looters' trench. Rescue operations uncovered ceramic remains dating to the Late Classic, including a piece bearing a fragment of hieroglyphic text.
Excavations in 2008 revealed that one of these mounds was a temple pyramid with a well preserved central stairway.
Analysis of pigment traces from the south range of the acropolis were carried out by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, they revealed a preference for mineral and vegetable pigments of local origin, perhaps collected from the nearby El Camalote hill.
. A number of artefacts were recovered from the threshold of Room 3 of the south range, including a complete terminal classic ceramic vessel, a flint knife, some broken figurine fragments and some lithic fragments. In the area of the threshold of Room 4 in the south range a complete Early Postclassic tripod plate was recovered. Within Room 4 itself were found a further 70 broken pieces of Terminal Classic ceramics and 232 pieces dated to the Early Postclassic, and a greenstone axe among other finds. Many of the Postclassic fragments were from a tripod pitcher with zoomorph supports that archaeologists were largely able to reconstruct. Additionally, 798 Terminal Classic ceramic fragments were found during the exploration of the terraces immediately south of the acropolis, together with stone chippings and pieces of animal bones.
Pits sunk within the courtyard of the acropolis revealed 5425 ceramic fragments, 22 fragments of zoomorphic figurines, together with stone and shell artefacts, animal bones and waste flint chips, all dated to the Terminal Classic.
Analysis of artefacts from La Blanca has revealed an unusual and almost total absence of obsidian
, while flint of various colours (including red, pink, orange, brown, cream and grey) is particularly common.
or plagiocephaly
.
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
archaeological site in the municipality
Municipalities of Guatemala
The departments of Guatemala are divided into 332 municipalities or municipios. The municipalities are listed below, by department:-Alta Verapaz Department:*Cahabón*Chahal*Chisec*Cobán*Fray Bartolomé de las Casas*Lanquín*Panzós*Raxruha...
of Melchor de Mencos
Melchor de Mencos
Melchor de Mencos is a municipality in the Petén department of Guatemala with population 23,813. It is situated on the western border with Belize,a and is the only major border crossing from Guatemala to Belize....
in the northern Petén Department of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. The site is located in the lower reaches of the Mopan River
Mopan River
Mopan River is a river in Guatemala and the Cayo district in western Belize near the border with Guatemala. The Mopan River discharges to the Belize River as the Mopan merges with the Macal River; the Belize River in turn terminates at the Caribbean Sea. The Belize River/Mopan River Catchment...
valley and features a large acropolis complex. Principal occupation of the site has been dated to the Late Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
period, although some level of occupation continued into the Early Postclassic.
La Blanca occupied a frontier zone between the northeastern and southeasten Petén regions and it is dominated by the acropolis, an especially well built palace complex. The city appears to have been an administrative centre with comparatively little emphasis upon religious or ceremonial activity. It is likely that La Blanca was a subsidiary of a major Maya city such as Yaxha
Yaxha
Yaxha is a Mesoamerican archaeological site in the northeast of the Petén Basin region, and a former ceremonial center and city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Located in the modern-day department of Petén, northern Guatemala, it is approximately 30 km southeast from Tikal, between the...
or Naranjo
Naranjo
Naranjo is an ancient city of the Maya civilization in the Petén Basin region of the central Maya lowlands. It is located in the present-day department of Petén, Guatemala about 10 km west of the border with Belize. It is located within the area of the Cultural Triangle of Yaxha, Nakum, Naranjo...
, given the complete absence of hieroglyphic texts
Maya script
The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered...
and sculpted monuments. Archaeologists presume that La Blanca served as a frontier post or trading centre.
The end of formal occupation of the city in the Terminal Classic appears to have been violent, with evidence of a battle recovered from the acropolis.
Location
La Blanca is accessed by a dirt road leading 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) to the FloresFlores, El Petén
Flores is the capital city of Petén department of Guatemala. It is located at . The population is 13,700 .Flores serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name ....
to Melchor de Mencos highway, which it joins at La Pólvora. In the other direction this road leads approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to a village, also called La Blanca. The modern village of La Blanca extends along the shores of a small lake. The archaeological site is located to the south of a range of hills reaching a maximum height of 490 metres (1,607.6 ft).
The archaeological site occupies a small pocket of forest amongst an extensive region of cleared agricultural land. The agricultural land closest to the ruins is largely dedicated to livestock grazing, particularly cattle and horses. La Blanca is located close to the Mopan River and its tributary, the Salsipuedes River. Some of the land between the ruins and the rivers is subject to frequent flooding, a factor that must have had some impact upon the inhabitants of the city.
The forest covering the archaeological site reaches an average height of 22 metres (72.2 ft). It contains around 60 tree species, among which the most notable are breadnut trees (Brosimum alicastrum
Brosimum alicastrum
Brosimum alicastrum, the breadnut or Maya nut, is a Brosimum tree species under the Moraceae family of flowering plants, whose other genera include fig and mulberries The plant is known by a range of names in indigenous Mesoamerican and other languages, including but not limited to: ramon,ojoche,...
) and corozo palms
Attalea (genus)
Attalea is a large genus of palms native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. This pinnately leaved, non-spiny genus includes both small palms lacking an aboveground stem and large trees. The genus has a complicated taxonomic history, and has often been split into four or five...
(Orbignya cohune).
History
The earliest occupation at La Blanca was concentrated in the South Group and dates to the Early Classic Period. However, major occupation of the site appears to have begun in the Late Classic Period. Public spaces were covered with white stucco and the first architecture was erected at the site. The basal platform of the acropolis appears to have been built before the Great North Plaza was laid out.In the Late Classic there appears to have been greater public access to the acropolis, with stairways communicating between the various terraces leading up to the south range. During the Terminal Classic, these stairways were filled in, as were many of the access doorways to the acropolis itself, with some buildings being sealed completely. This closing of public access to the palace reflects the greater political instability engulfing the entire Petén region at this time. The acropolis complex was abandoned by the city's elite in the Terminal Classic, a time when most of the city centre was also deserted by its residents. Many flint projectile points were recovered from the south terraces of the acropolis, this combined with the remains of two individuals very near the surface indicates that a violent confrontation took place around the time that the city was abandoned.
Soon afterwards, at the dawn of the Postclassic, immediately after the Classic Maya collapse
Classic Maya collapse
The Classic Maya Collapse refers to the decline and abandonment of the Classic Period Maya cities of the southern Maya lowlands of Mesoamerica between the 8th and 9th centuries. This should not be confused with the collapse of the Preclassic Maya in the 2nd century AD...
, the acropolis was reoccupied by refugees from the periphery of the city. These final occupants appear to have abandoned the city some time in the 11th century AD, after which it was never reoccupied.
Modern history
In the 18th century Pedro Montañés passed through the site and left graffiti with his name and the year 1752. Archives have revealed that he was a Spanish captain who visited the site on 14 August of that year. La Blanca was first documented in the early years of the 20th century. In 1905 explorer Teoberto MalerTeoberto Maler
Teoberto Maler or Teobert Maler was an explorer who devoted his energies to documenting the ruins of the Maya civilization....
identified visible architecture at the site and marked it as El Castillito on a map of the region. Raymond F. Merwin visited La Blanca in 1913 on behalf of the Peabody Museum
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is a museum affiliated with Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.Founded in 1866, the Peabody Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums focusing on anthropological material, and is particularly strong in New World ethnography and...
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He photographed the site and renamed it as Chac-Ha At this time the site appears to have been covered in dense vegetation, making exploration of the ruins difficult and resulting in only a brief description of the acropolis.
Ian Graham
Ian Graham
Ian Graham is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the VFL during the 1960s.His best season came in 1964 when he won the Copeland Trophy for Collingwood's Best and Fairest player...
published a plan of the site in 1980, based on explorations in preceding years. Further explorations have taken place on behalf of the Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala and the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo Project. The Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo Project started work at the site in 1994 with preliminary work consisted of mapping and photographing the ruins. In 1995 the ruins were cleared of undergrowth and in 1996 the Unidad de Arquelogía Regional de Guatemala (Guatemalan Regional Archaeology Unit) surveyed the ruins, recorded damage by looters and sank test pits, all under the direction of Vilma Fialko. In 1997 to 1998 looting damage was repaired and architecture deemed at risk of collapse was underpinned
Underpinning
In construction, underpinning is the process of strengthening and stabilizing the foundation of an existing building or other structure. Underpinning may be necessary for a variety of reasons:*The original foundation is simply not strong or stable enough....
. In 1999 further underpinning work was undertaken as a result of earthquake damage and detailed plans were made of the architecture in 2000. The Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala included La Blanca in its survey of three sites in the lower Mopan valley in 2001. More recently, investigations have been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture together with the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Valencia
Polytechnic University of Valencia
The Polytechnic University of Valencia is a Spanish university located in Valencia, with a focus on science and technology. It was founded in 1968 as the Higher Polytechnic School of Valencia and became a university in 1971, but some of its schools are more than 100 years old.- Characteristics...
. Excavations continued in 2004 both in the city centre and in the South Group, where looting damage was recorded and repaired.
Site description
The site covers an area of about 26 hectares (64.2 acre) and a great many structures have been identified by archaeologists. The principal architectureMaya architecture
A unique and spectacular style, Maya architecture spans several thousands of years. Often the most dramatic and easily recognizable as Maya are the stepped pyramids from the Terminal Pre-classic period and beyond. Being based on the general Mesoamerican architectural traditions these pyramids...
has been dated to the Late Classic period. The layout of the city is somewhat unusual in that the north-south axis is oriented 12° west of north whereas most Maya cities have the major axis a similar amount east of north. The political and administrative functions were concentrated in the eastern portion of the city, which is taken to include the South Group, as evidenced by the superior architectural quality in these areas.
The Great North Plaza is a large square-plan plaza measuring 70 by. The Plaza was levelled by packing it with a clay-based mud, work that took place in the Late Classic Period based on the evidence of ceramic and flint artefacts recovered during investigations. This clay mud conataining attapulgite
Palygorskite
Palygorskite or attapulgite is a magnesium aluminium phyllosilicate with formula 2Si4O10·4 which occurs in a type of clay soil common to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the types of fuller's earth.-Name:...
was likely to have been brought to the city from the nearby swamps. Excavations in the plaza and close to the acropolis revealed the presence of a retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
probably related to the construction of the great platform supporting the acropolis itself.
A 30 metres (98.4 ft) wide causeway
Sacbe
right|thumb|Sacbe at Dzibilchaltun in the Yucatánthumb|right|Arch at the end of the sacbé, Kabah, YucatánSacbe, plural Sacbeob, or "white ways" are raised paved roads built by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica...
runs south from the Plaza, running to the west of the acropolis and parallel to it. This causeway runs south for approximately 300 metres (984.3 ft) to the South Group. The area west of the causeway contains a large number of smaller mounds and platforms and is believed to be an extensive residential area. This residential area includes three large plazas, the northern of which is divided from the Great North Plaza by a row of structures. A stairway may have led southwards from this down to the Central West Plaza, which is on the opposite side of the causeway from the Acropolis. The south side of the Central West Plaza is bordered by a 30 metres (98.4 ft) long structure that divides it from the South West Plaza. An area of smaller mounds extends further west and are believed to represent lesser residential districts of the city.
The area to the east of the city drops away rapidly and lacks extensive settlement remains, perhaps due to periodic flooding by the Mopan and Salsipuedes rivers discouraging the occupation of the eastern zone.
Acropolis
The most important architectural complex is the acropolisAcropolis
Acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
, a palace with an enclosed courtyard located within the Great North Plaza. The acropolis is also known as the Quadrangle due to its layout. A series of terraces lead down from the acropolis to a 1500 square metres (16,145.9 sq ft) reservoir to the south, which appears to have been a private water source for the palace. The reservoir itself is now dried out. The acropolis was accessed via a wide stairway from the Great North Plaza. The form of the plaza and the acropolis are unusual, although similar complexes have been identified at Tayasal
Tayasal
Tayasal is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site that dates to the Postclassic period. The site is located in the southern Maya lowlands on a small island in Lake Petén Itzá, now part of the Department of Petén in northern Guatemala...
, Ixlú
Ixlu
Ixlu is a small Maya archaeological site that dates to the Classic and Postclassic Periods. It is located on the isthmus between the Petén Itzá and Salpetén lakes, in the northern Petén Department of Guatemala. The site was an important port with access to Lake Petén Itzá via the Ixlu River...
and Kinal
Kinal
Kinal is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site in the Petén Basin region, modern-day Petén Department, Guatemala. The major occupational phase for the site dates from the Late Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, with evidence for a substantial and expansionary building program dating from...
.
Excavations in the acropolis revealed the presence of at least two superimposed platforms built with well finished stone blocks and covered with good quality stucco flooring. At a later date the platforms and courtyard were covered with unworked stones bound with mortar and covered with another stucco floor. The two platforms were built in the Late Classic and appear to have been covered over in the Terminal Classic.
The interior courtyard measures approximately 36 metres (118.1 ft) on each side and was completely enclosed by the palace, creating a very private space within. The buildings on the north, west and south sides faced outwards away from the private courtyard, opening onto it only via a central doorway in each structure. The eastern structure was built at a later date and possesses two lateral doorways and was the only side to face directly onto the courtyard, making it highly likely to have been the residence of the city's ruler. Entrance to the courtyard itself from outside the acropolis was via these central doorways on the north, south and west sides. Of these three entrances, the northern entrance appears to have been the main entrance to the acropolis complex. The south entrance was a more private entrance that opened from the acropolis onto the terraces leading down to the water source in that direction. The western entrance lead to the terrace 5 metres (16.4 ft) above the causeway, providing a balcony with an excellent view across the city.
The cut stone walls of the acropolis are of very high quality, constructed of large, finely cut blocks at times forming walls almost 2 metres (6.6 ft) thick, filled with rubble and mortar. The exterior faces of the walls are carefully finished, while the interiors possess good quality vaulted ceilings. Although such high quality work can be found in parts of major cities such as Tikal
Tikal
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala...
, its presence in a smaller site such as La Blanca is considered surprising by archaeologists. The walls facing the interior courtyard have been especially well preserved. During survey work at the arcopolis, archaeologists discovered a 13.5 centimetres (5.3 in) long flint knife deliberately embedded in the interior of the north wall, it weighed 225 grams (7.9 oz). The knife was embedded in the mortar of the infill with the blade pointing outwards, with three embedded decorations near the tip. Archaeologists believe the blade was deposited during rituals associated with the construction of the building.
The outer eastern wall of the acropolis is especially well preserved, including a cornice 3.8 metres (12.5 ft) above the floor level of the building, which is 4 to 5 m (13.1 to 16.4 ft) above the plaza floor. The wall continued above the cornice for another 3 metres (9.8 ft) and this section probably supported a stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
frieze. The entire eastern face of the building measured 32 metres (105 ft) long and stood 12 to 13 m (39.4 to 42.7 ft) above the level of the Great North Plaza. This wall was completely blank, without any doorways or other openings.
The range structures on the other sides of the courtyards, all opening outwards away from it, consisted of a series of rooms of varying size. The height of the rooms from the palace floor to the top of the vaulting was generally about 6 metres (19.7 ft) throughout the palace. The interior walls were originally painted red and black as demonstrated by surviving traces of pigment. The exterior facades of the range structures were originally decorated with sculpted stone friezes representing supernatural beings, fragments of which have been found amongst the collapsed rubble.
The vaulted ceilings of the palace were skillflly constructed, with sides of equal length unlike in other sites in the Petén region
Petén Basin
The Petén Basin is a geographical subregion of Mesoamerica, located in the northern portion of the modern-day nation of Guatemala, and essentially contained within the department of El Petén...
where the sides of vaulted ceilings were often of different lengths. The vaulting is of exceptional height, reaching up to 4 metres (13.1 ft).
South range
The south range measures 42 metres (137.8 ft) long and divides the courtyard from the series of terraces to the south. The rooms of the south range include wide benches running their entire width, they measure 0.75 metres (2.5 ft) high and still preserve their original stucco covering. The bench in Room 1 has a small step leading up to it. The walls of the rooms are relatively poorly preserved, although some parts still retain their stucco covering and traces of pigment, as well as inscribed graffiti. The lintels over the doors were crafted from sapodilla wood. Some of the south-facing rooms have twin, symmetrically placed doorways, a style of architecture that is very unusual for a range structure in the Petén region. Examples are known from minor structures at Tikal but the closest corresponding architecture comes from the PuucPuuc
Puuc is the name of either a region in the Mexican state of Yucatán or a Maya architectural style prevalent in that region. The word "puuc" is derived from the Maya term for "hill". Since the Yucatán is relatively flat, this term was extended to encompass the large karstic range of hills in the...
region of the northern Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
, at cities such as Cacabxnuc, Chelemi, Xcorralche and Xkalachetzimin, although they differ in other particulars, such as the vaulting.
Excavations immediately south of the south range uncovered part of a substructure consisting of a well preserved stucco-covered talud
Talud-tablero
Talud-tablero is an architectural style. It consists of a platform structure, or the tablero, on top of an inward-sloping surface or panel, the talud. It may also be referred to as the slope-and-panel style.-Cultural significance:...
wall and a stairway, these are thought to be the remains of a terrace platform. A portion of a second terrace talud wall was also uncovered.
West Group
Investigations of the West Group have revealed an occupation beginning in the Late Classic and reaching its maximum extent in the Terminal Classic. The construction methods used in the West Group were inferior to those of the acropolis, consisting of finely cut limestone blocks bound with an earth-based mortar rather than the lime-based mortar used in the palace complex. The platforms of the West Group appear to have supported perishable superstructures and some of these buildings may have been dedicated to craft production.The three main plazas of the West Group appear to have lacked stucco flooring and were instead covered with stone chippings.
South Group
The South Group is the furthest group from the centre to possess monumental architecture. The South Group is the oldest architectural group at La Blanca, with occupation dating as far back as the Early Classic. It has a slightly different orientation to the rest of the site, apparently due to its earlier construction. It consists of number of medium sized mounds that have been badly damaged by looters. The larger of the mounds are pyramidsMesoamerican pyramids
Mesoamerican pyramids, pyramid-shaped structures, are an important part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. These structures were usually step pyramids with temples on top – more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt...
and there were also a number of other buildings. One of the mounds measures approximately 9 metres (29.5 ft) high and was almost cut in half by a looters' trench. Rescue operations uncovered ceramic remains dating to the Late Classic, including a piece bearing a fragment of hieroglyphic text.
Excavations in 2008 revealed that one of these mounds was a temple pyramid with a well preserved central stairway.
Graffiti
The acropolis is also distinguished by a great quantity of graffiti inscribed onto the stucco interior walls of its rooms, some of which display a considerable level of artistic skill. The graffiti is believed to date to the last phase of occupation of the acropolis, during the Early Postclassic, and includes local fauna and human figures, some of which are playing musical instruments. Animals depicted in the graffiti include a deer, a turtle and a frog. Two human figures are depicted playing flutes, while other subjects include pyramid temples, courtly scenes, vulvas and supernatural beings.Analysis of pigment traces from the south range of the acropolis were carried out by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, they revealed a preference for mineral and vegetable pigments of local origin, perhaps collected from the nearby El Camalote hill.
Artifacts
Many of the artefacts excavated from the acropolis date from the transition from the Terminal Classic Period to the Early Postclassic, when the surrounding population appears to have occupied the abandoned palace. Excavations of the south range of the acropolis uncovered a great many potsherds (roughly 11,000) dating to the Terminal Classic, and about 150 pieces dating to the Early Postclassic. In the same building 150 stone artefacts were excavated together with hundreds of fragments of waste chippings. Fifteen incomplete ceramic figurines were also found, including zoomorphic figures and elite human figures with elaborate headdresses. One of these figurines was a whistle in the shape of an owl, identical to another found in an excavated rubbish heap in the acropolis courtyard. Both of these owl-shaped whistles are very similar to a larger whistle found at YaxhaYaxha
Yaxha is a Mesoamerican archaeological site in the northeast of the Petén Basin region, and a former ceremonial center and city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Located in the modern-day department of Petén, northern Guatemala, it is approximately 30 km southeast from Tikal, between the...
. A number of artefacts were recovered from the threshold of Room 3 of the south range, including a complete terminal classic ceramic vessel, a flint knife, some broken figurine fragments and some lithic fragments. In the area of the threshold of Room 4 in the south range a complete Early Postclassic tripod plate was recovered. Within Room 4 itself were found a further 70 broken pieces of Terminal Classic ceramics and 232 pieces dated to the Early Postclassic, and a greenstone axe among other finds. Many of the Postclassic fragments were from a tripod pitcher with zoomorph supports that archaeologists were largely able to reconstruct. Additionally, 798 Terminal Classic ceramic fragments were found during the exploration of the terraces immediately south of the acropolis, together with stone chippings and pieces of animal bones.
Pits sunk within the courtyard of the acropolis revealed 5425 ceramic fragments, 22 fragments of zoomorphic figurines, together with stone and shell artefacts, animal bones and waste flint chips, all dated to the Terminal Classic.
Analysis of artefacts from La Blanca has revealed an unusual and almost total absence of obsidian
Obsidian use in Mesoamerica
Obsidian is a naturally formed volcanic glass that was an important part of the material culture of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Obsidian was a highly integrated part of daily and ritual life, and its widespread and varied use may be a significant contributor to Mesoamerica's lack of metallurgy...
, while flint of various colours (including red, pink, orange, brown, cream and grey) is particularly common.
Burials
A human burial was found in Room 3 of the south range of the Acropolis. The remains were found lying on their right side facing towards the west, with arms bent. Preliminary investigation suggests that the remains are those of a young adult male with a height of approximately 1.6 metres (5.2 ft). The left hand side of the skull is deformed, perhaps as a result of either oxycephalyOxycephaly
Oxycephaly, also known as turricephaly and high-head syndrome, is a type of cephalic disorder. This is a term sometimes used to describe the premature closure of the coronal suture plus any other suture, like the lambdoid, or it may be used to describe the premature fusing of all sutures. It should...
or plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly is a condition characterized by an asymmetrical distortion of the skull.-Causes:It is a common finding at birth and may be the result of a restrictive intrauterine environment. If there is premature union of skull bones, this is more properly called craniosynostosis...
.