Altar de Sacrificios
Altar de Sacrificios is an archaeological site of significance from the Classic period of Maya civilization, specifically flourishing between 250 and 900 CE. Situated near the Río Pasión and Río Usamacinta, this settlement engaged actively in regional commerce, albeit on a smaller scale compared to larger cities like Tikal and Yaxchilán. The site features a complex of structures centered around a plaza and is particularly noted for the Altar Vase, a remarkable ceramic artifact depicting funerary customs related to the death of a Maya noblewoman. Established by the Maya during the Preclassic period around 200 CE, Altar de Sacrificios reached its peak in the Late Classic period, leveraging its strategic location to access extensive trade routes for goods like obsidian, jade, and cacao. Despite its cultural and economic achievements, the city faced challenges including warfare, overpopulation, drought, and environmental degradation, leading to its decline. By the end of the Terminal Classic period, external forces had overtaken the settlement, resulting in its eventual abandonment. The history of Altar de Sacrificios reflects the complex interplay of trade, culture, and environmental factors that characterized Maya civilization.
Altar de Sacrificios
Related civilization: Maya.
Date: 200-900 c.e.
Locale: Confluence of the Río Pasión and Río Usamacinta in the Petén, Guatemala
Altar de Sacrificios
Altar de Sacrificios thrived on the commerce that passed along the Río Pasíon and Río Usamacinta during the Classic period (250-900 c.e.). Although its size and architecture did not rival the expansive cities of Tikal or Yaxchilán, Altar de Sacrificos fully participated in Maya culture including hieroglyphic inscriptions, stelae dedication, and ceremonial warfare. Composed of a plaza group with several formal structures, the site of Altar de Sacrificios is renowned for the Altar Vase, a ceramic masterpiece that depicts funerary rituals associated with the death of a Maya noblewoman.
Although the nearby Mixe-Zoque culture may have influenced the settlement of Altar de Sacrificios, it was established by Maya in Preclassic times (approximately 200 c.e.). Achieving preeminence in the Late Classic period (600-900 c.e.), this city used its advantageous locale to exploit extensive trade networks that transported valuable goods including obsidian, jade, and cacao (chocolate) from long distances.
However, warfare with other Maya cities, combined with overpopulation, drought, and environmental devastation, imposed a great decline on Altar de Sacrificios and other Maya lowland cities. At the end of the Terminal Classic period, outside groups overtook Altar de Sacrificios, and shortly thereafter, the city was abandoned.
Bibliography
Coe, Michael. The Maya. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1993.
Henderson, John S. The World of the Ancient Maya. 2d ed. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1997.
Sharer, Robert. The Ancient Maya. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1994.