Quirigua
Los Amates, Izabal is a place located 210 kilometers from Guatemala City. Located within the extensive banana trees is the Mayan ruins of Quirigua. Facing the sky, the many Mayan Stelae and zoomorphs look like guardians of secrets never revealed. The many stelae and temples show the visitants, a once powerful comercial Mayan city and at the same time an unknown place. Quirigua located in the Motagua Valley was a place where great quantities of obsidian and jade were dealt. This place is unique in Mesoamerica because of its monumental structures dating back to the Classic Mayan period. According to archeologist, 1,300 years ago, there were around 2000 inhabitants in this Mayan City. Quirigua was dominated by Copan until Cauac Cielo went to battle with Copan, where he captured the king of Copan that was decapitated in the main plaza. Most of the stelae in Copan bear Cauac Cielo’s face. There are a few monoliths that have animal shapes and were sculpted between the years 746 and 810DC. Quirigua was abandoned because of a series of social, political and economical problems.
