Project

Naranjo, the second largest Maya city in Guatemala after Tikal, developed between 500 B.C. and A.D. 950, although the main period of construction took place during the Late Classic period (A.D. 600-900). By 682, the warrior-queen Wak Chanil Ahau had lifted the political status of Naranjo to that of a hegemonic regional state with political command over an extensive area. (...)

Naranjo, the second largest Maya city in Guatemala after Tikal, developed between 500 B.C. and A.D. 950, although the main period of construction took place during the Late Classic period (A.D. 600-900). By 682, the warrior-queen Wak Chanil Ahau had lifted the political status of Naranjo to that of a hegemonic regional state with political command over an extensive area. Wealth amassed from numerous military victories is evident through the monumentality of the city; the 389 buildings organized into six acropolises as well as 900 peripheral structures demonstrate the industrious nature of this period. In the tenth century, the settlement was abandoned. The preserved monuments at Naranjo include pyramids, ball courts, observatories, and stone palaces decorated with carved sculpture and polychrome stucco. Surviving stele and altars narrate the history of an ancient pilgrimage route that included Naranjo and other cities in modern-day Guatemala and Belize. Historical events were also recorded on the distinct polychrome vessels produced by the city’s artisans. Naranjo has been part of the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park since 2004.