{{Short description|Ancient Mayan city in Quintana Roo, Mexico}} {{Infobox ancient site|name=Ichkabal|image=ICHKABAL QUINTANA ROO.png|location={{flag|Mexico}}|cultures=Maya civilization|epochs=Preclassic - Classic - Postclassic|type=Ancient Maya city|region=Quintana Roo|area=60 km|built=400 BC|abandoned=c. 1500 AD|discovered=1995|map_type=Mexico#Mexico Quintana Roo|caption=Ichkabal pyramid|image_size=290}}
'''Ichkabal''' is a large ancient Maya city located in the jungle of Quintana Roo in Mexico dating from the Middle Preclassic period of the Maya civilization around 400 BC, it developed as a monumental city until the Postclassic period.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Avanza la puesta en valor de la Zona Arqueológica de Ichkabal, en Quintana Roo |url=https://inah.gob.mx/boletines/avanza-la-puesta-en-valor-de-la-zona-arqueologica-de-ichkabal-en-quintana-roo |website=Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia}}</ref>
== Location == Ichkabal is located near Lake Bacalar inside the tropical jungle of Quintana Roo in Mexico and near other Maya sites like Dzibanche, Kohunlich, Pol Box, Dzibantunich among others.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichkabal: así es la antigua ciudad maya vecina de Bacalar que abrirá al público como zona arqueológica |url=https://elpais.com/mexico/2024-09-13/ichkabal-asi-es-la-antigua-ciudad-maya-vecina-de-bacalar-que-abrira-al-publico-como-zona-arqueologica.html}}</ref>
== Archaeology == Ichkabal is an extensive site conformed by six main architectural groups covering about 60 km with monumental buildings and pyramids over 40 to 46 meters tall that are visible above the jungle canopy. The main plaza, which has an extension of 300 meters, is considered one of the biggest sites from the Maya Lowlands. The site was connected to the city of Dzibanche by a large sacbe of over 40 km long.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Supervisan labores para la puesta en valor de la Zona Arqueológica de Ichkabal, Quintana Roo |url=https://inah.gob.mx/boletines/supervisan-labores-para-la-puesta-en-valor-de-la-zona-arqueologica-de-ichkabal-quintana-roo |website=Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia}}</ref>
== History == Ichakbal settlement started in the Middle Preclassic period of Mesoamerica, around the year 400 BC. During the Classic period, Ichkabal was related with the Kaan dynasty of Dzibanche, a major power of the Maya region. According to archaeological research the site was populated until the late Postclassic period around the year 1500, few years before the beginning of the Spanish conquest of Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichkabal: la poderosa ciudad maya que abrirá como zona arqueológica cerca de Bacalar |url=https://www.muyinteresante.com.mx/historia/39363.html |website=Muy Interesante}}</ref>
Ichkabal remained hidden deep in the jungle of Quintana Roo until it was discovered by archaeologists in 1995.
== References == <references /> {{Maya sites}} Category:Maya sites in Quintana Roo Category:Maya Preclassic Period Category:Maya Classic Period Category:Maya sites that survived the end of the Classic Period Category:Maya Postclassic Period Category:Former populated places in Mexico Category:4th-century BC establishments in the Maya civilization Category:1995 archaeological discoveries Category:16th-century disestablishments in the Maya civilization