Archaeological Reconnaissance at Tixan: Explorations in the Southern Sierra del Lacandón National Park, Petén, Guatemala

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La Pasadita

While conducting reconnaissance, members of the SLRAP briefly visited the site of La Pasadita. Work at La Pasadita focused primarily on exploring both a heavily looted architectural group and a rockshelter. The architectural group was located near the center and was situated atop hill, which is typical of settlement at La Pasadita. The group consists of two platforms, one of which is topped by a collapsed vaulted structure (Figure 23). This mound was bisected by three major looter's trenches. In the northernmost looter trench we encountered an empty looted crypt (Figure 24, shown above). The crypt itself was finely made, with walls consisting of three courses of extremely well-cut stone, and topped with four large lajas (Figure 25, shown below). The crypt measured 0.30 meters high, 0.44 meters in width, and 2.4 m in length. The crypt was located below the floor of the northernmost room of the collapsed structure. Interestingly, despite thorough searching, no artifacts or human remains were encountered in the crypt nor in the looter's fill. In this regards, this looted crypt is similar to the looted crypt encountered below the floor of the northern room (Room 3) of Structure D3-1 (formally Structure 1) of Tecolote, which was also empty of human remains and artifacts (Golden 2003b). Although both of these crypts may have been completely cleaned out by looters, it is also possible that they were built but never used by the Maya.

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To the northwest of La Pasadita's center, members of the SLRAP explored a rockshelter that was simply dubbed the "Three-Level Rock Shelter," for its form. Ceramics were found scattered over the surface of the rock shelter. These sherds date from the Late Preclassic through Terminal Classic periods, which is typical of most caves in the Sierra del Lacandón (Golden, Romero, et al. 2005; Golden, et al. 2003; Muñoz 2004b). Interestingly, a natural rock outcrop at the entrance of the rock shelter appears to have been modified to serve as an altar. Above this altar were two steps cut from the bedrock floor of the rockshelter. From the altar, a hill descends to the forest floor four meters below. Thus, the rock shelter likely served as a stage for ritual activities.

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