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RIO AZUL
A. Río Azúl
1. Location
a) northeast corner of Guatemala
1) covers area of about 1.3 sq km
2) concentration of 350 large buildings
b) Temple 15, 155 ft tall
c) total population of only 5000
1) administrative center for region of 460 sq mi
2) appears to have been abandoned about AD 535
a> reoccupied later on
d) Adams believes site was ruled by son of Stormy Sky
2. History
a) discovered in 1962
1) visited by R.E.W. Adams in 1962
2) sketch map published in 1965
3) site left unprotected and was heavily looted
b) Ian Graham heard in 1981 that looters were digging at site
1) visited and found Tomb 1, freshly sacked
a> took photos of paintings
b> found fragment of carved wooden bowl in looter's camp
2) over 80 looters had made trails and dug more than 150
trenches
a> three may have died in cave-ins
c) project sponsored by National Geographic to explore site
3. Precolumbian history
a) earliest occupation dates to Middle Preclassic
b) two temple platforms constructed in Late Preclassic
1) largest, Str. G-103, is 15 m high
2) four others in BA-20 Groups
c) maximum growth and construction in Early Classic
1) florescence from AD 390 - 540
2) estimated population of 3,500
d) decline at end of Early Classic, ca. AD 600
e) primarily residential Late Classic resettlement
1) probably under aegis of Kinal
4. Monuments
a) three round altars dating from ca. 385
1) depict executions of eight or more individuals
2) capture of leaders may have placed site under control of
Tikal
a> presumably during reign of Curl Nose
b> both he and Smoking Frog are mentioned in texts
b) Stela 1
1) depicts individual named Zac Balam
5. Tombs in Str. C-1
a) Tomb 1
1) sacked by looters in 1981
2) beautifully preserved murals
a> indicate ruler's birth on 8.19.1.9.13
1> Long Count birth date Sept. 29, 417
2> unknown ruler ("Ruler X")
3> may be son of Stormy Sky
b> reference to Curl Nose of Tikal
1> Stormy Sky's father and Six Sky's granfather
c> medallion glyphs of Six Sky's father, Stormy Sky, and
mother, Bird Claw of Tikal
3) may have held fuschite mask
a> collector offered to sell for $470,000
b> represents G-1, deity recognized at Tikal
c> emblem glyph of Rio Azul on back
4) 31 other sacked burials at Rio Azul
b) Tomb 19
1) discovered in 1984
2) chamber partially hollowed out of bedrock
3) male skeleton
a> 5'7" tall (big for Maya average of 5'3")
b> buried at the age of about 35
4) laid out on wooden litter
a> padded with mattress of kapok
b> wrapped in three layers of burlap-like cloth
c> cinnabar paint and organic matter on body
5) total of 15 vessels
a> six with slab feet and lids
6) pots with residues of substances
a> twist-top jar with jaguar pelt design
b> blue stucco with glyphs, some new
7) jade beads carved into tiny faces and skulls
8) stingray spines found near pelvis
9) dates between AD 450 and 500
6. Tombs in A-3 complex
a) Tomb 12
1) located beneath highest temple
2) sacked by looters
3) glyphs on wall refer to east and sun, south and Venus
a> "[On the day] 8 Ben 16 Kayab was buried 'Six Sky'
1> glyph for burial in context
b> Six Sky
1> death or burial date of AD 450
4) blue painted vessel may be from tomb
a> glyph referring to Rio Azul ruler Six Sky
7. Tomb 23
a) discovered in 1985
b) first entered by Grant Hall
c) companion tomb to 19 under north platform of temple
structure
d) covered by thick layer of chert flakes
e) large-framed male about 5'7"
f) laid out on cotton mattress
g) grave goods
1) jade beads
2) carved ear flares
h) occupant of this and Tomb 19 tentatively identified as
persons from Central Mexico
1) date to same period as Stormy Sky
B. Deliberate destruction of site, followed by near or complete
abandonment
1. probably related to events at Tikal
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