Naachtun: A Lost City of the Maya

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• 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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Defensive fortifications

Finally, there is a particularly distinctive architectural feature at Naachtun that betrays the political turmoil of the Classic period. The map indicates that Structures VII-XII are surrounded by a wall, and in the 2002 reconnaissance of the site it was confirmed that this feature is indeed a wall. It was also evident that the wall was added some time after Structures VII-XII were built, and that it is reminiscent of defensive walls found at the sites of Dos Pilas and La Joyanca to the south.

The walls from each of these sites date from the very end of the Classic period and were constructed to try to protect a local population under imminent threat from outside attackers. However, there are key differences between these walls and the wall at Naachtun. At points the Naachtun wall is 4m (13ft) high, and it is well constructed with large cut blocks of limestone. This is notably different from the one at La Joyanca, which was only about half a metre (19in) high and served as a base for a wooden palisade. It also differs from the walls at Dos Pilas, which, although large, were not well constructed, and were made by removing the exterior stone facing of the surrounding buildings.

'Who were these people who settled 'betwixt and between' the two superpowers of the Classic Maya world?'

The Dos Pilas fortifications were erected in haste, while the defensive wall at Naachtun appears to have been carefully planned and assembled. This leads to the conclusion that the Dos Pilas and La Joyanca defensive walls were effective responses to the stresses of warfare at the end of the Classic period, while the sizeable and well-built defensive fortifications at Naachtun are an indication that the city had been living with this type of stress for centuries.

During the last decade, Naachtun has revealed many of its secrets. It is now known that the ancient city was the capital of a great kingdom called Massul. We also know that it was a crucial collaborator in the political manoeuvrings of both Tikal and Calakmul. Yet there remain many unanswered questions. Why did this great city arise? Who were these people who settled 'betwixt and between' the two superpowers of the Classic Maya world? How did the lords of Masuul maintain the prosperity of their kingdom through what appears to have been centuries of warfare? And what finally caused this great kingdom to be abandoned? These questions can only be answered through the careful archaeological excavation of the site. And it is to be hoped that the day when this investigation can begin is near.

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