Nakbe

Nakbe is one of the largest early Maya archaeological sites [1]. Nakbe is located in the Mirador Basin approximately 13 kilometers south of the largest Maya city of El Mirador [1]. The site was first discovered in 1930 by aerial photos taken of the region, but excavations of the site did not take place until 1962 [1]. Nakbe was a key site to the Maya because of its extensive quarry system of limestone, a key element to the building of the many large temples [1]. The site center has yielded large quantities of middle Preclassic ceramics [1]. Pottery found at the site includes red-on-cream items, multi-colored bowls, incised bowls, narrow-necked jars with coarsely painted bands, and a wide variety of monochrome vessels that are red, cream, or black [1]. The most impressive and largest of the buildings at Nakbe is a pyramid called Structure 1 [1]. Nakbe was connected to El Mirador by one causeway and later in the Late Classic Maya period Nakbe was connected to the Maya center of Calakmul [1].