La Blanca
La Blanca Mopán
Maya Late Classic 450–850 CE·Maya (Mopán / southeastern Petén)·🇬🇹 Petén, Mopán Basin, Guatemala
About
About La Blanca
Late Classic lowland Maya palace complex (450–850 CE) of Mopán kingdom (Saktz'i? northern Belize influence) with Acropolis west-facing palace 12 m high with 30 rooms along 100-m facade, graffito and causeway to stela plaza. Palace throne rooms with intact corbeled vaults; finds of chocolate-drink vessels and imported jade. Destroyed by fire ~850 CE terminus with smashed monuments indicating warfare end.
Why it mattersRare fully-exposed Maya palace revealing elite residential architecture and fire destruction warfare horizon.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Palace abandonment fire warfare vs internal revolt
- 02Saktz'i vs independent polity identification
Theories
- 01Palace economies model: tribute reception in throne rooms
- 02Fire termination ritual vs warfare evidence
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.450–850 CE
- Period
- Maya Late Classic 450–850 CE
- Culture
- Maya (Mopán / southeastern Petén)
- Builders
- Maya La Blanca dynasty
- Purpose
- Mopán valley palace-administrative center
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.450–850 CE
Initial construction
c. 1416 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
16.8900° N · 89.4400° W · 180 m · 2 mapped features
La Blanca central feature
featureMain architectural feature
16.8900° N · 89.4400° WLa Blanca secondary sector
sectorSecondary sector
16.8910° N · 89.4390° W