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1200-1500:
In the last cultural phase, the late Post-classic (1200-1524) we see a development in the Qui-che’ as they were affected by Toltec militarism from the Tabasco-Veracruz coast on the Gulf of Mexico. This influence of the Toltecs on the Maya is blamed by some historians for a switch toward a cultural zest for war and human sacrifices, conquest and colonization of the natives. Expression of a new Puebla-Mixtec artistic style is recorded in sacred codes of its calendar and histories. Semi-urban regions at this time resulted in very fortified districts and regional capitals such as K’umarcaaj (Utatlan), Iximche’, Mixco Viejo, Tziquinaja’ (Atitan), and Chinautla.
The Qui’-che’ influence on Momostenango was very strong, establishing at least two new sites. One of the two, Ojertinamit, located 1 kilometer south of today’s Momostenango on a narrow hilltop plain was quite small, and was abandoned at the time of the Spanish Conquest. The other site called Chwa Tz’ak, is larger and continued to be occupied after the conquista under the name of Pueblo Viejo. It is found some 6 k to the west of modern Momostenango on another ridge. Almost all remains have disappeared because of colonial and modern construction. There is sufficient evidence to indicate that there were buildings there at the time of the conquest. The few ceramics found there indicate Qui’che cultural occupation.
A little north of the modern Momostenango is another site with Qui’che influence. In the canton Pueblo Viejo, Malacatancito, the inhabitants originate from Momostenango and San Bartolo Aquascalientes. Its good preservation offers a magnificent opportinity to study the western limits of the Qui’che’ culture. Two other western sites are Mazatenango and Tzolojche’.
In contrast to other late classic sites in the western highlands, Paracana is not defensive, and is less developed than the earlier cultural phase (of the) militaristic Maya Quiche who moved in from the East in the 8’th century AD and drove the Mam Maya into the far Western regions and much higher up into the Cuchamatanes mountain range, the Cordillera where they remain today.
1200- MORE ETHNOHISTORY
In the highlands of present day Quiche, a political and military force originates and was destined to dominate the last phase of indigenous history in Guatemala. Quiche “many trees” was founded with dynamics coming from Mexican area of Tabasco-Veracruz. Quiche speakers conquered the mountain highlands. At the beginning its influence was limited to the modern area Baja Varapaz, and expandead .
About 200 years before the conquest, modern Momostenango under the Qui-che’ was called Tsunun Che, or tree of Colibri, also the name of a certain type of soldier, putting the place name in question.
MILITARY HISTORY : the last 100 years before contact with Europeans
1300. Constant conflicts and maneuvering between Indigenous groups and language groups is characteristic through all of Indigenous pre-contact history in the western hemisphere. Being no different and with a militaristic tendency, the Maya Quiche organized all its towns in the region Qui-che to attack its neighbors to the west. These neighbors were Maya in the linguistic group Mam in the western region of Totonicapan.
Then they invaded the valley of Quetzaltenango. It is probable that the resistance was small, but in the valley of Quetzaltenango the Mam chiefs, called “YOC”, defended themselves ferociously. In one of these battles, so many Mam and Quiche soldiers died that the place was named Aj Camic,..”place of death” . With these conquests, the Quiche began to reign in Totonicapan until about 1300-1400’s. *Recinos
1400-1430:
Data is lacking for the early 1400’s in Totonicapan, an indication of tranquility there
1444-1484 AD:
In the 15’th C during the reign of its most famous king Q’uik’ab, “many arms”, the Quiche’ expanded influence in the Mam area and established strategic outposts. Q’uik’ab led a contingent of Quiche’ military to govern and guard the area. The names of official Quiche’ families or clans represented there at the time of the conquest were Ajpop, Rokche’, K’alel, Lolmet, Siwantay, Sic’a Wanija, Ak’ab, C’otuja’ and Popol. Under the leadership of these new designated leaders, a political-religious center was sited over a long high plain alongside a great thermal bath named Chwa Tz’ak. This same place is now an archeological site in San Bartolo Aguascalientes. The general area of southern Totonicapan was called Palotz Utzakibalja’. An official, Bokche’, was a chief in Udtzakibalja .
1470-1500:
During this time the Qui-che’ authority weakened, especially after a rebellion of the Cakchiquel Maya in 1470.
1480 ? Prince Izquin Nijaib…
To complete the Pre-Contact history of Momostenango, there is data about the life of its most important figure, the Chief Isquin Nijaib. His story begins in the royal houses of the Quiche’ close to Santa Cruz del Quiche’. He was a member of the second Great House called Nijaib. This group had another public house in Utatlan, and a large temple dedicated to its patron god Awilix, son of the moon goddess Ix Chel. One of his grandfathers stood out in the great conquests in the days of Q’uik’ab, but was most famous for founding the house of Balam Ak’ab, Jaguar of the night. According to the Popol Vuh, the totemic symbol of Balam Ak’ab was the eagle, which would have been the insignia of the group. The Nijaib clan had large territories under its control and occupied important posts in the Quiche political authority., the most important post being the Ajaw Q’alel. Izquin is a Nahual name signififying ‘perro’.
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ETHNOLOGY AND 100 YEARS OF MILITARY HISTORY OF TOTONICAPAN PREVIOUS TO THE FIRST YEARS OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST
Paleo and Proto-Mesoamerican history before contact with the European culture, 30,000-10,000 BC: Arrival of peoples from Manchurian and Mongolian Asia to North America and Mesoamerica. Studies pin down two or three principal migrations across Beringia, the Bering Isthmus. A pre-existence of peoples from other origins (Egypt, Africa and Austrailia), are possible and might be confined to the Indian populations of South America. *Mann
In the area of Totonicapan , the first knows inhabitants were nomad bands of hunters and gatherers entering the land looking for animals. In 1964 an arrowhead of the type “clovis” was found, a link of the highlands of Guatemala to the cultures of Puebla and Chiapas in Mexico.
6,000-2,000 BC Ethnohistory:
The first references to antiquity of the area our modern department of Totonicipan indicate that it was under domination of Maya in the linguistic group Mam who governed a large area in a sash extending from Huehuetenango southward to the valley of Quetzaltenango. The Popol Vuh called these Mam people the Saakulewab, with a famous capital Zacaleu close to modern Huehuetenango. There is no other site in this area that compares to Zaculeu in size or ceramic pieces and worked stone that predate a Qui-che’ period. Mam lineages reigning in neighboring pueblos were Chachibix, Bamak’, Tzizol, and Nima Amak’. * Recinos There is no memory of those names inTot. History. In the Mam pueblo of San Miguel Ixtahuacan’, the line of Bamak persisted long after the Conquest.* Brasseur, 1861
Basic crops were domesticated between 6,000 and 2,000 BC, enabling man in Mesoamerica to establish permanent towns using hunting only to supplement their agricultural diet. Sedenteary life also existed along the Pacific coast near Ocos, based more on a diet of fish than on a diet of crops.
1,000-300 BC:
The first evidence of widespread agro-domestication in the highlands appears. Density of population in today’s Valley of Guatemala caused development in the western highlands between 1,000 to 300 BC. There was a development of civic and religious structures, which grandly expanded the complexity of its culture, explaining the first penetration of habitants into western highlands.
300-600- AD
As it was in other places, the Preclassic inhabitants of Momostenengo settled in fertile valleys. An Izapa Culture from Mexico confined itself to the low countries on the Pacific Coast and did not have cultural influence in Totonicapan, where evidence of flowering culture later appeared in the early Classic period 300-600 AD. The ceremonial center of La Estancia was an expansion of culture and population along with the situation of neighboring sites ie Los corrales in Huitan, Chicol en Huehuetenango. Public structures and a ball court suggests a relation to the classic sites of Saculeu and Kaminaljuyu, but not with the Mexican characteristics of those previous two places.
600-900 AD, Late Classic Period:
In the Late Classic period 600-900 AD, habitation ended in La Estancia, and another site was established a little to the north in the same valley of Jutacaj near the canton there now, called Paracana, Totonicapan. No remains of structures are found, but there are potsherds that differ from those in La Estancia with four footed cookery pots which resemble Late Classic pieces in Nebaj, Quiche’, indicating a westward push by the Qui-che’ Estancia lasted until the end of the Teotihuacana influence in the highlands C. 600 AD, then to merge or fuse into another newer local culture in Paracana.
At the end of this post classic period, another site is established called Xuabaj, in a small valley to the southeast of the seat of Momostenango. Xuabaj was constructed in a higher location, suggesting Mam defenses were a consideration. This late classic tendency is noted in other sites where moves were made from the valleys to the hillsides (as seen in the sites in Cabrican in Huitan, and others.*Borgehy, 1965 Carvings on stone and potsherds are scarce. Outside influences on the mountain cultures during this phase are not strong.
900-1200 AD
Post-classic culture is characterized in its Mexican Toltec influence. New ceramic forms appear, such as bucket-shaped incense burners, tripod figures of animal heads, and pieces of ceramic decorated with pieces in relief. Gold and copper artifacts also appear, and new forms of architecture such as ball courts in the shape of a double T and altars in the centers of plazas, and rounded temples. *Carmack, 1968, Wauchope, 1964 Sites in this phase are more defensive than in the former post-classic period, suggesting an increase in regional warfare. It seems there was not a greater site in Totonicapan during this early post classic period, although Xuabaj could have continued to shine during this time. |
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