The 'Motagua River' is a 400km long river in
Guatemala. It rises in central Guatemala to the north-east of
Guatemala City and runs north-east to east to the
Gulf of Honduras. The final few kilometres of the river form part of the Guatemala/Honduras border.
The river runs in a valley that has the only known source of
Jade in
Mesoamerica, and was an important commerce route during the Pre Columbine era. The important
Maya site of
Quirigua, is near the river's north bank, as well as several smaller sites with jade quarries and workshops. Guatemala sits over the subduction zone of the Cocos plate, with the North American plate grinding along the Caribbean plate at the Motagua valley.
References
★
Map of Guatemala including the river
External Links
★
Jade sources in The Motagua River Valley
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