Washaktun

Uashaktun (Vashaktun, Uaxactún ) - archaeological site of the Mayan culture. Located 25 km north of Tikal in the department of Peten , Guatemala . The name Uashaktun, in Mayan “stone eyes”, was given to the monument by Silvanus Morley according to one of the inscriptions, which was a gift from the ruler of Tikal after the defeat that the ruler of Uashaktun inflicted on him.

Temple of Masks, it is also the construction of E-VII. First Mayan Culture Observatory

In ancient times, the city was called Siaan K'aan ( Siaan K'aan ), that is, "born of heaven." The city has been inhabited since the pre-classical period, 0k. 900 BC e. and throughout the classic period. The heyday of the city falls on 500-900 years. e.

The earliest inscription on Stele 9 refers to 328, and the latest inscription on Stele 12 refers to 899. Uashaktun was the largest settlement on the territory of Peten, and for a long time was considered the oldest - until Nakbe and El Mirador , the oldest cities of the Mayan culture, were found.

Like many other cities of the classical period, Uashaktun was abandoned at the beginning of the X century BC. e. and was hidden by the jungle until its discovery in 1930.

Archaeologists call the Mayan astronomical complexes “Group E” for the reason that the first complex of this type was the Group of buildings E in Uashaktun.

The city discovered murals. Especially a lot of them were found in residential Building B XIII, which has not survived to the present, where images on a historical theme are presented. In terms of polychrome performance, this is one of the most perfect wall-mounted images of the pre-classical period.