Chitinamit

Chitinamit is an archeological site of the Maya civilization in the highlands of Guatemala [1]. It has been identified as Jakawitz, the first capital of the K'iche' Maya [1]. The site is located in the El Quiché department, in the municipality of Uspantán [1]. Chitinamit dates from the Early Classic through to the Late Postclassic periods and covers approximately 2 hectares, making it the largest site in its region [1]. The site is located on the mountain of Chujuyup, on the western edge of the Chuyujup Valley and was excavated in 1977 by Kenneth Brown of the University of Houston [1]. It is defended by a stone rampart and possesses stone terraces, together with a ballcourt and a temple to the K'iche' patron god, also named Jakawitz [1]. Its occupation seems to have come to a violent end, with many projectile points being found together with evidence of the burning of buildings [1]. Chitinamit includes residential structures measuring roughly 3 by 7 metres with the walls marked out with vertical schistose slabs measuring approximately 15 centimetres high [1].