Santa Maria de Jesus (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsanta maˈɾi.a ðe xeˈsus]) is a town with a population of 21,795 (2018 census),[3] and a municipality in the department of Sacatepéquez about 10 km from the city of Antigua Guatemala.

One of the most important activities performed during the Hispanic period in this township was bringing ice gathered from the summit of Volcan de Agua to the city of Santiago.

Anne Maudslay described her experience as follows: “Passing through a miserably dirty village street, we entered by a pretentious gate into the great bare plaza.

[8] Anne Maudslay continues: "The life of the village centered round the fountain which stood in the middle of the plaza.

Native women's physical attributes did not impress Maudslay, but their discipline did: "They were sober and could attend to their household duties, whilst the men almost without exception were drunk with chicha".