Ixkun
The North Plaza with Stelae 1 and 2 | |
| Location | Dolores |
|---|---|
| Region | Petén Department, Guatemala |
| Coordinates | 16°34′25″N 89°24′40″W / 16.57361°N 89.41111°W |
| History | |
| Periods | Late Classic |
| Cultures | Maya civilization |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Juan Pedro Laporte Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Classic Maya |
Ixkun (Ixcún or Ixkún in Spanish orthography) is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site, situated in the Petén Basin region of the southern Maya lowlands. It lies to the north of the town of Dolores, in the modern-day department of Petén, Guatemala. It is a large site containing many unrestored mounds and ruins and is the best known archaeological site within the municipality of Dolores.
Ixkun was the capital of one of the four largest kingdoms in the upper Mopan Valley, the others being Curucuitz, Ixcol and Ixtonton. Eight sites fell within the boundaries of the kingdom, showing a clear hierarchy. Stela 1 at Ixkun is one of the tallest stone monuments in the entire Petén Basin.
Although the main period of activity was during the Late Classic Period, the site was occupied from the Late Preclassic right through to the Postclassic Period.