Ixtutz

Ixtutz

Fragments of Panel 2
Location	Dolores
Region	Petén Department,  Guatemala
History
Founded	Late Preclassic Period
Abandoned	Terminal Classic Period
Periods	Classic Period
Cultures	Maya civilization
Site notes
Archaeologists	Juan Pedro Laporte, Merle Greene Robertson IDAEH
Architecture
Architectural styles	Classic Maya
Responsible body: IDAEH

Juan Pedro Laporte, Merle Greene Robertson

Ixtutz (/iʃˈtuːts/) was an important Classic Period Maya city located south of Ixkun in southeastern Petén, Guatemala. Ixtutz is situated in the valley of the Poxte River in the western portion of the Maya Mountains. The site was inhabited during the Preclassic Period to the end of the Terminal Classic Period of Mesoamerican chronology and dominated the western portion of the Dolores valley.

In the Late Classic Ixtutz was one of the most important centres in the Dolores region, competing fiercely with other sites in the area, and maintained strong political relations with the cities of the southwestern Petén such as Dos Pilas and Machaquila.

Ixtutz is located in the municipality of Dolores, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest of that town, in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala. The site is situated at an altitude of 400 metres (1,300 ft) above mean sea level in the valley of the Poxte River, surrounded by hilly terrain. The river itself flows westwards of the site.

An area of 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi) is protected by the Guatemalan Institute of Anthropology and History. This area is covered by primary rainforest, although the surrounding countryside has been cleared for agriculture.

Other Maya archaeological sites in the Ixtutz area include Ixtonton at 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi), Ixkun at 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), Ixcol at 8.2 kilometres (5.1 mi), Moquena at 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi), El Tzic at 9.4 kilometres (5.8 mi), Sukche at 5.7 kilometres (3.5 mi), Ixcoxol at 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi), Nocsos at 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi), Curucuitz at 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi), Mopan 2 at 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), Tesik at 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi), Ixec at 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) and Ixac at 7 kilometres (4.3 mi).