page_title: Mixco Viejo
section_title: Archaeological site: Jilotepeque Viejo
hierarchical_section_title: Mixco Viejo / Archaeological site: Jilotepeque Viejo
caption_attribution_description: English: View of Mixco Viejo. Group B-X at lower right (Structures B-X-3 and B-X-4). Group B stands upon the massive platform on the left, with the double pyramid B-3 visible. In the centre background is Group A, with its own double pyramid A-1 visible as the tallest structure in its group. Group D extends along the centre right in the middle distance. Español: Vista general de Mixco Viejo. EL Grupo B-X se ve abajo a la derecha, con las Estructuras B-X-3 y B-X-4. El Grupo B se ubica encima de la plataforma inmensa a la izquierda, sobre la plataforma basal se ve la pirámide doble B-3. Al fondo se ve el Grupo A, también tiene una pirámide doble (Estructura A-1), se identifica como el edificio más alto en su grupo. El Grupo D se extiende en el centro a la derecha.
context_page_description: Mixco Viejo, occasionally spelt Mixcu Viejo, is an archaeological site in the north east of the Chimaltenango department of Guatemala, some 50 kilometres to the north of Guatemala City and 4 kilometres from the junction of the rivers Pixcaya and Motagua. It is a moderate sized ruined city of the Postclassic Maya civilization.
  The archaeological site and tourist attraction of Mixco Viejo was named after being erroneously associated with the Postclassic Poqomam capital referred to in colonial records by that name. The archaeological site has now been identified as Jilotepeque Viejo, the capital of the Chajoma Kaqchikel kingdom. To distinguish between the two, the ruins of the Chajoma capital are now referred to as Mixco Viejo while the former Poqomam capital is referred to as Mixco Viejo.
  This confusion in the identification of the site has hindered study. The Chajoma capital has been investigated archaeologically, under the assumption that it was the Poqomam capital. Although the Chajoma ruins of Jilotepeque Viejo have been well described archaeologically, the archaeological data has been associated with the history of a different site entirely.
context_section_description: Although the site now known as Mixco Viejo was traditionally considered the Poqomam capital, recent investigations have instead identified the ruins as the capital of the Kaqchikel-speaking Chajoma Maya, and have suggested that its identification as the historical Mixco Viejo is the result of confusion in the interpretation of colonial records. The site was apparently known to the Chajoma by a variety of names, including Chuapec Kekacajol Nima Abaj (also spelt Chuwa Pek Q'eqak'ajol Nima Ab'aj), meaning "Great stone in front of the Cave of the Children of Night", Zakicajol and Nimcakajpec. Jilotepeque Viejo is estimated to have had a population of approximately 1,500 inhabitants. Jilotepeque was close to the San Martín Jilotepeque obsidian source, giving the inhabitants ready access to the resource.
  The site is open to the public and has a small museum. The site was declared a protected archaeological zone by Ministerial Accord 1210 of the Guatemalan Ministry of Education on 12 June 1970.
caption: View of Mixco Viejo, including Groups B at left, B-X at bottom right, Group A in the distance and Group D extending at centre right
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