Seibal is a Mayan ruin in El Peten in Guatemala.
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| Seibal | ||
| Department | El Peten | |
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| Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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background
The earliest settlements date back to the 9th century BC. BC back. Finds suggest close contacts with the strongholds of the Olmecs such as La Venta shut down. In the 2nd century BC Chr the city reached its first high phase. But then there was a downturn for unexplained reasons and the city was completely abandoned in the 3rd century AD. But around 650 AD the city was repopulated and there was a royal house here. Probably this was from Tikal used or at least promoted. This gave Tikal direct access to the river again Passion and thus to the Usumacinta. In 735 AD the city was devastated by Dos pilas beaten. The King Ucha'an K'in B'alam of Dos Plias considered this to be so important that he took it to three cities (Dos Pila, Aguateca and Seibal). From then on, Seibal acted as an ally of Dos Pilas. But when Dos Pilas went under in the late 8th century AD, Seibal gained independence. At first it seemed that Deibal was gradually heading towards doom. In the first thirty years of the 9th century AD, not a single building was erected. But that changed in 830 AD when a new king, Wat'ul Chatel, was installed. This one came from Ucanalwhich, together with some cities that had escaped the general city deaths to date (such as e.g. Caracol) who wanted to revive the old trade routes. Seibal experienced a real boom in the next few years. Numerous steles and buildings were erected, and suddenly a noticeable number of stylistic elements from central Mexico can be found. Some of the reliefs are very reminiscent of the drawings in Cacaxtla in Tlaxcala in Mexico. But the quality of the steles decreased and in 889 AD. the last was built. The city was likely abandoned a few years later. In 1890 the ruins were rediscovered by tree cutters who named the site "El Ceibal". In 1895 the Austrian Teoberto Maler investigated the ruins and in his publications renamed the site Seibal, which is the commonly used name. Numerous excavations and researches followed (most recently in 2006).
getting there
By plane
The closest airport is Flores. From here it continues on the road.
By train
In the street
From Flores it goes first by car / bus to Sayaxche. (Travel time: one to two hours). From here it is about an hour by boat to the site. The complete trip is often offered as a day tour from Flores.
By boat
mobility
Tourist Attractions
- Group A. Three plazas with over 50 structures. The central plaza and the adjacent buildings date from the time when Seibal was an ally of Dos Pilas. Building A3 is located on the south plaza, which has been restored and dates from the late phase after 800 AD.
- Group B. A small complex located three kilometers from the center.
- Group C. There are over 40 structures here. A circular platform has been restored.
- Group D. There are around 70 structures on a hill with a good view of the river at 5 plazas.
- El Anonal. This group lies a bit outside of the city and includes large pre-classical buildings made of clay.
