Piedras Negras

Piedras Negras stands on the Guatemalan bank of the Usumacinta river in dense forest, and it holds a particular place in the history of archaeology. In 1960 Tatiana Proskouriakoff, working from the pattern of dates on its stelae, showed that Maya inscriptions record the births, accessions, marriages and deaths of individual rulers rather than only astronomy and ritual, which opened the entire written history of the Maya to reading. The site itself has plazas, palaces, a sweat bath and carved thrones, all under forest. Reaching it means a boat expedition down the river with camping, and it is among the least visited major Maya sites.

History

The city's Maya name was Yo'k'ib', "great gateway" or "entrance", perhaps referring to a large sinkhole nearby, and it was one of the most powerful cities on the Usumacinta. It was inhabited from the 7th century BC, with two population peaks, around 200 BC and in the second half of the 8th century, when the main settlement had about 2,600 people; for most of the Classic period it was independent, allied with Yaxchilan some 40 km upriver, and it was occupied until 850 AD. Its Late Classic sculpture is considered particularly fine, and many of its stelae carry so-called artists' signatures, recurring glyphs that identify individual sculptors (Wikipedia, Piedras Negras (Maya site)).

The main sights

• The stelae Proskouriakoff read - the monuments that unlocked Maya history.
• Carved thrones and panels - the sculpture the site is known for.
• Riverside plazas under forest - the city on the Usumacinta bank.
• A near-untouched setting - one of the least visited major sites.

When to go

January to April, the dry season, when river levels and camping are manageable. Three to four days. Trips are arranged through operators and need permits.

Practical notes

This is an expedition, not a visit: several days by boat with camping and no facilities. Costs are high and operators are few. The site is unrestored and largely under forest. Insects and heat are severe.

Nearby

The Mexican bank is opposite; Yaxchilan lies upstream.

Key facts