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FAMSI © 2003: Ivan Šprajc |
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Archaeological Reconnaissance in Southeastern Campeche, México: 2002 Field Season Report
Altar de los Reyes Main Complex The remains of what evidently constituted the urban core of the ancient settlement occupy gently elevated lands south of the village of Ley de Fomento Agropecuario. The structures are concentrated in two architectural groups arranged along slightly clockwise skewed north-south axes. Their central parts correspond to the East and West Acropoleis, separated by a relatively flat and apparently empty space about 70 m wide, possibly a large plaza (Figures 6 and 7).
The West Acropolis seems to have been the most important architectural compound of the ancient city. A roughly rectangular platform, which at its northwestern corner reaches a height of nearly 10 m above natural ground, supports various buildings enclosing a plaza. Structures 12 and 13 on its east and west sides exhibit a relatively complex configuration; their central mounds rise about 11 and 17 m, respectively, above the plaza, whose sides measure around 60 and 80 m. The north and south flanks of the plaza are occupied by lower elongated mounds. Structures 16a and 16b, parallel mounds in the plaza just north of the West Acropolis, seem to be remains of a ballcourt (Figures 6 and 7). The highest structure, a pyramidal mound about 20 m high, is situated almost at the southern extreme of the west group. The original shape of the badly ruined building cannot be recognized. Apparently the stairway was on the east side, while the structure’s orientation seems to be around 25º south of east, possibly solstitial. The masonry consists of relatively large and roughly cut stones. The East Acropolis, smaller than the one to the west, is a platform with a mean height of about 5 m, supporting a plaza with several mounds. Structure 19 on the west side rises nearly 10 m above the plaza level. Of comparable size are Structures 18 and 22, located north and south of the East Acropolis. Smaller mounds extend to the west and southeast of the core area shown in Figures 6 and 7. A voluminous structure built on a platform lies around 60 m southeast of the East Acropolis and 90 m east of Structure 22. Other mounds arrayed in patio groups continue further to the southeast; walking in that direction, we found them up to a distance of 180 m from the East Acropolis. Two depressions, roughly circular in shape, call attention in the core area; one, with a diameter and depth of around 10 m and 2 m, respectively, is located upon the low platform immediately north of the East Acropolis, while the other, about twice as large, at the northwest base of the West Acropolis (Figures 6 and 7). These may be reservoirs for water storage and/or depressions caused by extraction of building material (for analogous cavities at La Milpa it was suggested they had both functions: Tourtellot et al. 1993: 102). According to the owner of the land lot occupied by the core area of Altar de los Reyes, none of the two depressions holds water for more than a few days. However, the same informant commented that a very similar cavity, located among the mounds about 180 m southeast of the East Acropolis, retains the water accumulated during the rainy season up to March or April. It should be added that the nearest aguada lies about 1 km northwest of the core area of the site. A special importance of this site is suggested not only by its size but also by its sculpted monuments. Stela 1, broken in two parts lying on the plaza of the West Acropolis, in front of Structure 13, was reported in 1998; the relief carving on its front was described in the report of that field season (Šprajc and Suárez 1998b: 106f, figs. 3-5), while the hieroglyphic text on the opposite face was drawn and interpreted by Nikolai Grube (Šprajc 2001: Appendix).
In 2002, during the topographic survey, we found a fragment of another stela, to which we assigned the number 2, at the west base of Structure 1. The fragment, measuring around 50 cm by 60 cm by 23 cm, preserves relief carving on its both faces (Figure 8). To prevent its disappearance we transported the monument to the village of Ley de Fomento Agropecuario and stored it, together with Altar 3 (infra), in a space especially destined for that purpose. Plain Altars 1 and 2, reported in 1998 (Šprajc and Suárez 1998b: 106), lie in the immediate neighborhood of Stela 1. Other two altars were found in 2002 in the center of the same plaza. While clearing the area for topographic measurements, we observed an apparently worked stone projecting from the ground. Upon removing the leaves, undergrowth and a thin layer of humus, we uncovered the rim of a round altar and parts of a hieroglyphic inscription on its lateral surface. In view of the intensity of looting in the area we decided to protect the monument and transport it to Ley de Fomento Agropecuario. When more earth was removed, the stone proved to be a fragment representing approximately a half of what must have been the complete altar, to which we assigned the number 3. Since minor fragments, some with glyphs, were irregularly scattered in the surrounding area, we realized the situation had to be recorded with all the necessary detail. During a small-scale excavation directed by Daniel Juárez Cossío, a large number of small fragments pertaining to the same monument were recovered. Its disintegration must have been a consequence of a prolonged destructive action of roots of the trees. Two stone fragments pertaining to Altar 4 were found immediately to the north; parts of a relief carving are preserved near the edge of its badly eroded upper face (Figure 9). Late Classic Tepeu complex ceramic fragments were found in the area of Altar 3, while Altar 4 was associated with Early Classic Tzakol sherds. Since the area of Altar 4 was not excavated satisfactorily, the two fragments, upon concluding the excavation, were covered again and left in situ. All the recovered fragments of Altar 3, however, were transported to the village of Ley de Fomento Agropecuario and deposited, together with the fragment of Stela 2 (supra), in a hut disposed for their protection. On a wooden framework filled with a layer of sascab (limestone sand) we managed to assemble the greater part of Altar 3, whose average diameter and thickness are about 85 cm and 30 cm, respectively.
The remains of the relief carving on the upper face represent the upper body of a person looking left, from the observer’s viewpoint. Some eroded glyphs, a numeral 13 being one of them, can be seen beneath the personage and near the edge of the altar’s upper face (Figure 10). The inscription along the lateral surface, which was restored to about 70%, is much better preserved. Most of it consists of a series of emblem glyphs; while only those of Calakmul, Tikal, Palenque, Edzná and Motul de San José are clearly legible, originally they must have been thirteen (see Figure 11, and Nikolai Grube’s interpretation in Appendix 2). The monument, making reference to such a large number of Maya polities, is entirely unique: recall that the texts on Stela A of Copán and Stela 10 of Seibal, which also include various emblem glyphs, list only four each. Hopefully more pieces can be reincorporated into the monument during the process of restoration, allowing a more comprehensive understanding of the whole text.
Southeast Group A prominent elevation located about 900 m southeast of the main complex is surmounted by a pyramidal mound, whose eastern slant merges with the steep natural slope of the hill, while on the west side it rises 12 m above a small plaza enclosed by low mounds. The most important compound of the Southeast Group sits on a relatively flat part of the hillside, at a distance of about 150 m from the hilltop in a north-northeastern direction. Various elongated mounds built on a platform enclose a plaza measuring about 20 m by 20 m (Figures 12 and 13). The distance in straight line from here to the structures at the southeastern extreme of the main complex of the site (southeast of the area shown on the map in Figure 6) is less than 600 m. The south side of the plaza is defined by Structure 1, a massive pyramidal mound topped by a triadic group and reaching a total height of nearly 20 m above the plaza level. Its orientation, very similar to those of the other mounds, is practically cardinal. Remains of an inset stairway ascending from the plaza to the upper platform can be seen on the northern slope of Structure 1. The shape of the ruin indicates the building had inset corners (Figures 12 and 13). The triadic group suggests that the structure, similar both to Structure 2 of Las Delicias (Šprajc 2001) and to Structure 59 of Nakbé (Hansen 1998: 77ff, Fig. 19b), may be of a Late Preclassic date.[2] Some architectural elements are exposed in looters’ trenches and tunnels.
At the north base of Structure 1, at the entrance to a looters’ tunnel, we found a fragmented stone block with a rather coarse engraving, which represents a sideview of the upper part of a human figure, apparently smoking a cigar (Figure 14).
At least 5 minor mounds form patio groups, probably a residential compound, approximately 100 m southeast of Structure 1. Down the slopes of the hill to the northeast, about 70 m from the acropolis, there is a roughly rectangular cavity with sides around 20 and 30 m long. Smooth surfaces observed on parts of the exposed limestone bedrock seem to have been cut artificially, suggesting this may have been the place for extracting the building material.
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