Historical Dictionary of Mesoamerica by Witschey Walter R. T.; Brown Clifford T.;

Author:Witschey, Walter R. T.; Brown, Clifford T.; [Witschey, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Published: 2011-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

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NAACHTÚN. (17.8° N, 89.7° W) Naachtún is a large lowland Maya site located in the Mirador Basin at the northern edge of the Department of Petén, Guatemala, adjacent to the Mexican border. Although the site was discovered in the early 20th century, it was not intensively investigated until recently because it was (and is) nearly inaccessible. The earliest occupation of the site took place in the Late Formative period. The community experienced a major surge in population and construction at the end of the Formative and the beginning of the Classic periods. Occupation continued through the Late Classic period, when many carved stelae were erected. A small quantity of Yucatecan Slate Ware ceramic fragments suggest a light occupation during the Terminal Classic period, while a surface scatter of Postclassic ceramics probably belonged to visitors or squatters.

The site boasts an impressive volume of public architecture, including pyramids and palace-like buildings. Most of the architecture was built in the Petén style, but one large structure (Structure XL) exhibits Río Bec or Chenes style construction, telling of links to the north. Río Bec is 72 kilometers northeast. This is the southernmost building known of the Central Yucatán architectural type.

Readings of the carved inscriptions at the site indicate that the ancient name of the site may have been Masul. (Naachtún is a modern name devised by archaeologists.) The names and fortunes of several kings and queens have been deciphered from the inscriptions. Naachtún is positioned about midway between Tikal and Calakmul and was probably buffeted politically by the recurrent conflicts between these two “superpowers” during the Classic period.

Naatz Chan Ahk. See Naranjo, Rulers of.

Nachi Cocom. See SOTUTA, RULERS OF.

NACO. (15.4° N, 88.2° W) Naco is a Late Postclassic period site in northwest Honduras. It is located along the Naco River, a tributary of the Chamelecón, which in turn flows into the Ulúa River. The principal occupation of the site dates from 1250 to 1520, and it was occupied at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Its location places the site just east of the border of the Maya region, and the site is known historically to have been a major trade center, probably an entrepôt or port-of-trade. During Hernán Cortés’s famous march from Mexico to Honduras, merchants at Xicalango on the Laguna de Términos in Tabasco drew him a map of the entire coast down to Nicaragua and Panama, and they also provided overland directions to Naco across the southern Yucatán Peninsula. Their detailed information showed that they knew this active trade route well. The historical sources also recount that one of the sons of the Cocom ruler of Mayapán, Yucatán, was away trading in Honduras at the time of the Xiu rebellion in the city, in about 1440. In short, Naco appears to have had strong commercial links to Tabasco, southern Campeche, and Yucatán as well as neighboring areas of Honduras and Guatemala during the Late Postclassic period. The artifacts recovered from the site by archaeologists confirm some of these links, such as tripod ceramic cups also found at Mayapán.

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