It is located near the source of the Belize River in the Petén department of present-day northern Guatemala.
The ancient name of the Ucanal polity was K'anwitznal,[2] and one of its first rulers was Ajaw K'uk' or Lord Quetzal.
Ucanal was attacked by the Kalomte queen-regent, Wac' Chanil Ahau or Lady Six Sky of Naranjo (Saal) in September and December of 693; and on 1 February 695 Ucanal's lord Kinich Cab ("Shield-Jaguar") was captured by the ruler of Naranjo.
Kinich Cab was held at Naranjo until 22 June 712; Ucanal was reduced to the status of vassal of that city.
[5] In 830 CE, lord Chan Ek' Hopet installed Wat'ul Chatel as his vassal over Seibal, and commemorated it upon Stele 11 there.