Kaminal Juy

It is located in Guatemala City and was the largest settlement in the entire Mayan Guatemalan highlands in the Pre-Classic period. Speculation remains that based on the city became inhabited up to 50 thousand people. Its name means Mountain of the dead. Located in the town center of Guatemala City, is the largest settlement convierti Maya in the Guatemalan highlands in the Pre-Classic period. Apparently the city became home to more than 50,000 people. Known as Kaminaljuyu Quiche word whose meaning is * dead * Hill, believed name was given because of the many Maya burials found at the site. thing that currently makes up the zone 7 and zone 11 Guatemala City, are areas occupied by over three thousand years (since 1200 BC to about 900 AD) as a Mayan metropolis, composed of squares, temples and houses, although it should be mentioned that most have already been demolished. Their clay adobe structures dating from the seventh century BC which highlights cultural exchanges held with the Mexican city of Teotihuacan. were located more than 300 graves with pottery showing Olmec influence evident also sculptures and 13 games ball, almost all structures made of adobe and clay, these are still standing.

Miraflores Lake
Also known as the Lake "LosTiestos". This flowed between Roosevelt and San Juan Driveways, turning the site into a real development. Dadaslas conditions, more people moved to live to the site because of its fertile land alo and that there were plenty of food. In estarea cultivated corn, squash and beans, maya ladieta main elements, avocado, chipiln and Apazote.

Trade Center
The site remained centered in an area about six kilometers, located between the archaeological park of the same name, and the Miraflores area in zone 11, but the whole city came to occupy much more, from what is now the Clover to the area of Lomas de Coti. was also extended to what is now Zone 3 to the General Cemetery, Park "Democracy" and what today forms the colony Tulam Zu and "The Ponds" and around the side opposite. Their strategic location made the city into a real business, and that served as transit point for anyone migrating to northern cities (Tikal and Copan) and southward. Kaminaljuyu, was also a financial center, home to multiple exchanges all kinds of products, becoming the leading supplier of jade. The site also exchanged knives, obsidian tools, stones for grinding corn, cocoa (concave design special pieces), which barter was usually salt,

shells, snails and Conchanacar.

The development of art in Kaminal

The people of Kaminaljuyu developed various cultural, sculpture, architecture and portable objects (fungi and stone rings and other). The main materials used were stone and minerals, in the valley there were volcanic rocks like basalt, andesite and rhyolite, same as were used in sculptures with a unique style. The site architecture is one of the most Preclassic interesting, built temples and highrise residential and administrative buildings. His sculptures are characterized by the use of anthropomorphic (human) and zoomorphic (animal), embodied in igneous rocks. Monuments site can be classified into three types : sculpture in, stelae and smaller sculptures. The first group are called pot-bellied, style is also present on the Pacific coast of Guatemala.

Cosmopolitan City
Around 700 BC this city was at its height. By 200 BC and was a cosmopolitan center, governed by a centralized power that wanted to gain more land and power but was preserved as a place of exchange. however, with the increase of the population claiming heirs to the throne to rule over areas , which resulted in constant conflicts that are evident in the altars, where prisoners were found with their hands tied, being rulers of other countries. Apparently at that time the population declined and food became scarce. Around 900 AD Kaminaljuyu disappeared completely.

Visit the archaeological park

Today you can visit the archaeological park located in Zone 7 of Guatemala City, to get there is public transport that goes to the site, it is recommended to hire guides previously. In the park are just some specimens of art, most of the sculptures and ceramic pieces are exhibited at the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Guatemala City Zone 13 and Miraflores Museum, located in Zone 11

Distribucion Byron Kaminal juyu Karen Miraflores Lake y the archaeological park

Alejandro Vega Trade Center David Ochoa The development of art in Kaminal Jossemar Cordero Cosmopolitan City