Template:Did you know nominations/Río Azul

Río Azul

 * ... that the ancient Maya city of Río Azul in Guatemala was used by the city of Tikal to secure trade routes against its great rival Calakmul?
 * Reviewed: Dryopidae

5x expanded by Simon Burchell (talk). Self nominated at 17:16, 23 July 2013 (UTC).


 * Symbol possible vote.svg This is my first review of a DYK nomination. Please forgive me if I am too strict; I'm trying to follow the guide. This article was expanded between 19 and 23 July, and the prose part grew from 2,100 to 12,600. Therefore, there has been the required fivefold expansion. Unfortunately, the hook fact does not seem to be sufficiently cited. There are several references for the relationship between Río Azul, Tikal and Calakmul, but the explicit "was used to secure trade routes" statement is taken from the lead section, where it is not followed by an inline reference. The similar "Tikal's dominance over Río Azul at this time would have secured an important trade route to the Caribbean and would have challenged Calakmul, Tikal's great rival" further down the article is followed by an inline reference, but as it is written in the conditional form, it cannot be used to cite the hook.--FoxyOrange (talk) 06:37, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Otherwise, the article is well written, and comprises many interesting facts. I would therefore suggest to come up with another hook. I would like to add that the current one does not satisfy me, regardless of whether it can be properly referenced. It reads a bit awkward because the word "city" is there twice; and the wording "was used" sounds quite ambiguous (it doesn't really contain any information). Finally, QPQ is met.--FoxyOrange (talk) 06:37, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the review. How about this for ALT1:


 * ... that a series of three altars at the ancient Maya city of Río Azul in Guatemala depicts the sacrifice of at least eight nobles in AD 385?
 * Judging from the wording in the article (and presumably also in the references), the depiction of a human sacrifice is rather an interpretation than a fact, isn't it? Therefore, I would suggest a hook like: (ALT2)


 * ... that judging from depictions discovered in the ancient Maya city of Río Azul, it is believed that the local elite was sacrificed after a takeover by Tikal?--FoxyOrange (talk) 21:54, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Fine by me... All the best, Simon Burchell (talk) 21:56, 27 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Symbol confirmed.svg for ALT2. This hook is sufficiently sourced by an inline reference, assuming good faith.--FoxyOrange (talk) 22:21, 27 July 2013 (UTC)

Sorry for holding it up, but I've just realized that I had been on the verge of promoting my own hook. Another reviewer is needed.--FoxyOrange (talk) 12:00, 30 July 2013 (UTC)


 * Symbol voting keep.svg ALT 2 looks fine to me. It is hooky enough, and there is no need to mention the number or the approximate date the elites depicted were sacrificed. I would personally change "depictions" to "sculptures" though. Alex ShihTalk 23:44, 3 August 2013 (UTC)