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A few kilometres to the west of Huehuetenango are the ruins of Zaculeu (daily 8am-6pm; US$3.20), capital of the Mam , who were one of the principal pre-conquest highland tribes. The site includes several large temples, plazas and a ball court, but unfortunately it has been restored with an astounding lack of subtlety (or accuracy). Its appearance - more like an ageing film set than an ancient ruin - is owed to a latter-day colonial power, the United Fruit Company , under whose auspices the ruins were reconstructed in 1946-7. The walls and surfaces have been levelled off with a layer of thick white plaster, leaving them stark and undecorated. There are no roof-combs, carvings or stucco mouldings, and only in a few places does the original stonework show through. Even so, the site does have a peculiar atmosphere of its own. Surrounded by trees and neatly mown grass, with fantastic views of the mountains, it's also an excellent spot for a picnic. There's a small museum on site (daily 8am-noon & 1-6pm) with examples of some of the unusual burial techniques used and some interesting ceramics found during excavation. The site is thought to have been a religious and administrative centre housing the elite, while the bulk of the population lived in small surrounding settlements or else scattered in the hills. Zaculeu was the hub of a large area of Mam-speakers, its boundaries reaching into the mountains as far as Todos Santos Cuchumatan. However, to put together a history of the site means relying on the records of the K'iche', a more powerful neighbouring tribe. According to their mythology, the K'iche' conquered most of the other highland tribes, including the Mam, some time between 1400 and 1475. Following the death of the K'iche' leader, Quicab, in 1475, the Mam managed to reassert their independence, but no sooner had they escaped the clutches of one expansionist empire than the Spanish arrived with a yet more brutal alternative. Pedro de Alvarado despatched an army under the command of his brother, Gonzalo, which was met by about five thousand Mam warriors. The Mam leader, Caibal Balam, quickly saw that his troops were no match for the Spanish and withdrew them to the safety of Zaculeu, where they were protected on three sides by deep ravines and on the other by a series of walls and ditches. The Spanish army settled outside the city and besieged the citadel for six weeks until starvation forced Caibal Balam to surrender. To get to Zaculeu from Huehuetenango, take one of the pick-ups or buses that leave close to the school from 7 Av between 2 and 3 calles - make sure it's a Ruta 3 heading for Ruinas Zaculeu (not Zaculeu Central).
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