Naachtun: A Lost City of the Maya

Page 5 of 9

• 1. An abandoned city
• 2. Wartime affiliations
• 3. History of investigations
• 4. Gathering the evidence
• 5. The Kingdom of Masuul
• 6. Traces of ritual
• 7. Changing allegiances
• 8. Defensive fortifications
• 9. Find out more
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The Kingdom of Masuul

The size of Naachtun, the grandeur of its public architecture, and the presence of over 40 stelae, indicate that it was the centre of a very powerful kingdom during the Classic period. Yet the name of the kingdom, as recorded in hieroglyphic texts, remained a mystery until the mid 1990s, when the epigrapher Nikolai Grube discovered the ancient Mayan name of Naachtun.

'According to the emblem glyph, Naachtun's ancient name was 'Masuul'.'

In a fragmentary passage on Stela 1, he found an 'emblem glyph' (a hieroglyphic compound), which included the names of Classic period Mayan kingdoms. According to the emblem glyph, Naachtun's ancient name was 'Masuul'.

References to the Masuul kingdom are found not only in hieroglyphic inscriptions at Naachtun, but also on scattered monuments throughout Guatemala and Mexico. Taken as a whole, the inscriptions on these monuments record a history for the Masuul kingdom that spans from AD 486 to 761, and includes details of familial relationships, warfare events and funerary rites.

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