San Bartolo (Maya site)

San Bartolo is an ancient Maya archaeological site found in the Department of Petén in northern Guatemala. It lies northeast of the famous site of Tikal and is about fifty miles from the nearest modern settlement. Although small, San Bartolo is very important to historians and archaeologists.

The site is best known for its wonderful mural paintings from the Late-Preclassic period. These paintings show strong influences from the Olmec culture, one of the earliest civilizations in Mesoamerica. The murals are among the oldest and most beautiful examples of Maya art that we know of.

San Bartolo also gives us some of the earliest examples of Maya writing, or Maya script. These early writings help scholars understand how the Maya developed their complex system of symbols and letters. The discoveries at San Bartolo have changed what we know about the early Maya world.

Site

The Maya site features an 85-foot pyramid called "Las Ventanas" (The Windows) and a Temple named "Las Pinturas" (The Paintings). It also includes an early royal tomb in the "Tigrillo Complex" (Ocelot Complex). Nearby, in the "Jabalí" (Wild Boar) group, there is a triadic complex similar to structures found in Uaxactún and Tikal’s North Acropolis. The pyramid was built around 300 BC and finished around 50 AD. San Bartolo is often studied together with the nearby site of Xultún.

Murals

In 2001, researchers found a room inside a pyramid at San Bartolo filled with amazing wall paintings. These paintings, dating back to around 100 BC, are the oldest known murals in the Maya world. Experts carefully restored the murals and studied their meanings.

The paintings tell stories about Maya gods and creation. One wall shows a scene with the Maya maize god and people gathering around a special fruit. Another part shows kings making offerings and symbols of trees and birds that represent different directions. These images give us clues about early Maya beliefs and their ideas about the world beginning. The murals also show the maize god in different stages of life, highlighting the importance of corn to the Maya people.

Earliest Maya inscriptions

The earliest writings that we can clearly call Maya were found at San Bartolo, dating back to the 3rd century BC. One important stone block with writing dates to around 300 BC. Some think this writing marks a big celebration for the end of a time period in the ancient Maya calendar.

In 2022, researchers found even older calendar dates from paintings at San Bartolo. These show a special 260-day calendar date called "7 Deer," from between 300 and 200 BCE. This helps us learn about how the Maya told time a very long time ago.

Main article: Mesoamerican Long Count calendar