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For other uses, see Tikal (disambiguation).
Tikal National Park*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tikal Temples I, II and III
State Party Flag of Guatemala Guatemala
Type Mixed
Criteria i, iii, iv, ix, x
Reference 64
Region† Latin America and the Caribbean
Inscription history
Inscription 1979  (3rd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

Tikal (or Tik’al, according to the more current orthography) is the largest of the ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas It is located in the El Petén department of Guatemala at 17°13′19″N, 89°37′22″W. |||} Guatemala is divided into 22 departments ( departamentos) Alta Verapaz Baja Verapaz Chimaltenango Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest Now part of Guatemala's Tikal National Park, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist spot. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The closest large towns are Flores and Santa Elena, about 30 kilometers away. Flores is the capital city of Petén department of Guatemala. Santa Elena is located on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá in the Petén department of Guatemala.

Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates to the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC. Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into a number of named successive eras or periods from the earliest evidence of human habitation 200 AD to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. Events By Place World Human population reaches about 257 million Events By place Asia Laguna Copperplate Inscription, Kavi script inscribed in Luzon, Philippines, Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Teotihuacan is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the Pre-Columbian Americas There is also evidence that Tikal was even conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century A. D. Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. Elite (also spelled Élite) is taken originally from the Latin, eligere, "to elect" A palace is a grand residence especially the home of a Head of state or some other high-ranking Public figure. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.

Contents

Site characteristics

Tikal rising above jungle canopy
Tikal rising above jungle canopy

Environmental setting

The ruins lie on lowland rainforest. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Conspicuous trees at the Tikal park include gigantic ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) the sacred tree of the Maya; tropical cedar (Cedrela odorata), and mahogany (Swietenia). Ceiba (includes Chorisia is the name of a genus of many species of large Trees found in tropical areas including Mexico, Central and The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored wood originally the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Regarding the fauna, agouti, coatis, gray foxes, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, Harpy Eagles, Falcons, ocellated turkeys, guans, toucans, green parrots and leaf-cutting ants can be seen there regularly. Agouti refers to a number of species of Rodents as well as a number of genes affecting coat coloration in several different animals The coati, genera Nasua and Nasuella, also known as the hog-nosed coon snookum bear and Brazilian Aardvark is a member of the Raccoon family ( Procyonidae The Gray Fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America Spider monkeys are New World monkeys of the family Atelidae, subfamily Atelinae. Howler monkeys ( Genus Alouatta monotypic in Subfamily Alouattinae) are among the largest of the New World monkeys See also the New Guinea Harpy Eagle. The American Harpy Eagle ( Harpia harpyja) is a Neotropical Eagle, often A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. The Ocellated Turkey ( Meleagris ocellata) is a species of Turkey residing in the Yucatán Peninsula. For the group of cracid Birds, see Guan (bird. For the wind instrument see Guan (instrument. Toucans are a family Ramphastidae, of Near-passerine Birds from the Neotropics (i Parrots are birds of the roughly 350 Species in 85 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions Leafcutter ants are social Insects found in warmer regions of the Americas. Jaguars Jaguarundis and Cougars are also said to roam in the park. The jaguar (Panthera onca,, or—especially in British English — is a New World Mammal of the Felidae family and one of The jaguarundi ( Puma yagouaroundi) is a medium-sized Mexican, Central and South American wild cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family

The largest of the Classic Maya cities, Tikal had no water other than what was collected from rainwater and stored in underground storage facilities (termed chultuns). A chultun (plural chultunob'   is a bottle-shaped underground storage chamber built by the Pre-Columbian Maya in southern Mesoamerica Archaeologists working in Tikal during the last century utilized the ancient underground facilities to store water for their own use. The absence of springs, rivers, and lakes in the immediate vicinity of Tikal highlights a prodigious feat: building a major city with only supplies of stored seasonal rainfall. Tikal prospered with intensive agricultural techniques, which were far more advanced than the slash and burn methods originally theorized by archeologists. Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of Forests or Woodlands to create fields for Agriculture or Pasture for Livestock, or The reliance on seasonal rainfall left Tikal vulnerable to prolonged drought, which is now thought to play a major role in the Classic Maya Collapse.

Etymology

Emblem Glyph for Tikal (Mutal)
Emblem Glyph for Tikal (Mutal)

The name Tikal, 'place of the voices' in Itza Maya, is not the ancient name for the site but rather the name adopted shortly after its discovery in the 1840s (Drew 1999:136). The Maya script, also known as Maya hieroglyphs, was the writing system of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently Hieroglyphic inscriptions at the ruins refer to the central area of the ancient city as Yax Mutal or Yax Mutul. The kingdom as a whole was simply called Mutal or Mutul, which is the reading of the "hair bundle" Emblem Glyph seen in the accompanying photo. Its meaning remains obscure, although some scholars think that it is the Hair knot of the Ahau or ruler. Ajaw (also ahau or ahaw in the older orthography is a political rulership title attested from the epigraphic inscriptions of the Pre-Columbian

The site

There are thousands of ancient structures at Tikal and only a fraction of these have been excavated after decades of archaeological work. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The most prominent surviving buildings include six very large Mesoamerican step pyramids, labeled Temples I - VI, each of which support a temple structure on their summits. Mesoamerican pyramids, pyramid-shaped structures are an important part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites Some of these pyramids are over 60 meters high (200 feet). They were numbered sequentially during the early survey of the site.

The majority of pyramids currently visible at Tikal were built during Tikal’s resurgence following the Tikal Hiatus (i. e. , from the late 7th to the early 9th century). The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. It should be noted, however, that the majority of these structures contain sub-structures that were initially built prior to the hiatus.

Panorama showing Temple I and Temple II facing each other on the Plaza Mayor
Panorama showing Temple I and Temple II facing each other on the Plaza Mayor
Tikal's Temple V
Tikal's Temple V

Temple I (also known as the Temple of Ah Cacao or Temple of the Great Jaguar) was built around C. Tikal Temple I is the designation given to one of the major structures at Tikal, one of the largest cities and archaeological sites of the Pre-Columbian E. 695; Temple II or the Moon Temple in C. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The people of Byzantium revolt against Justinian II. E. 702; and Temple III in C. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Emperor Justinian II Rhinotmetus, regains his throne E. 810. For the area code see Area code 810 Events By Place Byzantine Empire October 1 — A man with a Sword makes The largest structure at Tikal, Temple IV, is approximately 70 meters (230 feet) tall. Temple IV marks the reign of Yik’in Chan Kawil (Ruler B, the son of Ruler A or Jasaw Chan K'awiil I) and two carved wooden lintels over the doorway that leads into the temple on the pyramid’s summit record a long count date (9. 15. 10. 0. 0) that corresponds to C. E. 741 (Sharer 1994:169). This article is about the year 741 For the 741 Integrated circuit, see Operational amplifier. Temple V dates to about C. E. 750, and is the only one where no tomb has been found. Events By Geography Asia Gopala is proclaimed as the first ruler of the Pala Empire. Temple VI, also known as the Temple of the Inscriptions, was dedicated in C. E. 766. Events By Topic Religion November 16 — Nicetas is appointed Patriarch of Constantinople.

Str. 5C-54, in the southwest portion of Tikal’s central core and west of Temple V, is known as the Lost World Pyramid. A 30 meter high "True Pyramid", with stairways in 3 sides and stucco masks, dating to the Late Preclassic, this pyramid is part of an enclosed complex of structures that remained intact through and un-impacted by later building activity at Tikal. Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into a number of named successive eras or periods from the earliest evidence of human habitation The organization of this complex adheres to the themes defined for E-Groups. E-Groups are unique architectural complexes found among a number of ancient Maya settlements

Photo-textured Laser scan 3D elevation of a Tikal ball court located in the Great Plaza, showing measurements and dimensions.
Photo-textured Laser scan 3D elevation of a Tikal ball court located in the Great Plaza, showing measurements and dimensions. A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (i

The ancient city also has the remains of royal palaces, in addition to a number of smaller pyramids, palaces, residences, and inscribed stone monuments. A palace is a grand residence especially the home of a Head of state or some other high-ranking Public figure. There is even a building which seemed to have been a jail, originally with wooden bars across the windows and doors. A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of There are also seven courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, including a set of 3 in the "Seven Temples Plaza" a unique feature in Mesoamerica. The Mesoamerican ballgame was a Sport with ritual associations played for over 3000 years by the Pre-Columbian peoples of Mesoamerica.

The residential area of Tikal covers an estimated 60 km² (23 square miles), much of which has not yet been cleared, mapped, or excavated. A huge set of earthworks has been discovered ringing Tikal with a 6 meter wide trench behind a rampart. Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving of massive quantities of Soil or unformed rock. A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide (as opposed to a wider Gully or Ditch See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors Only some 9km of it has been mapped; it may have enclosed an area of some 125 km square (see below). Population estimates place the demographic size of the site between 100,000 and 200,000.

Recently, a project exploring the earthworks has shown that the scale of the earthworks is highly variable and that in many places it is inconsequential as a defensive feature. In addition, some parts of the earthwork were integrated into a canal system. The earthwork of Tikal varies significantly in coverage from what was originally proposed and it is much more complex and multifaceted than originally thought.

History

Tikal was a dominating influence in the southern Maya lowlands throughout most of the Early Classic. The site, however, was often at war and inscriptions tell of alliances and conflict with other Maya states, including Uaxactun, Caracol, Dos Pilas, Naranjo, and Calakmul. Uaxactun (waʃakˈtun is an ancient ruin of the Maya civilization, located in the Petén Basin region of the Maya lowlands in the present-day department Caracol or El Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. Dos Pilas is a Pre-Columbian site of the Maya civilization located in what is now the department of Petén, Guatemala. Naranjo is a Spanish-language surname that can refer to People Alberto Naranjo (b Calakmul (also Kalakmul and other less frequent variants is the name given to site of one of the largest ancient Maya cities ever uncovered The site was defeated at the end of the Early Classic by Caracol, who rose to take Tikal's place as the paramount center in the southern Maya lowlands. It appears another defeat was suffered at the hands of Dos Pilas during the middle 7th century, with the possible capture and sacrifice of Tikal's ruler at the time (Sharer 1994:265). The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era.

Tikal hiatus

The "Tikal hiatus" refers to a period between the late 6th to late 7th century where there was a lapse in the writing of inscriptions and large-scale construction at Tikal. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. This hiatus in activity at Tikal was long unexplained until later epigraphic decipherments identified that the period was prompted by Tikal's comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Caracol polity in A. Caracol or El Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. D. 562 after six years of warfare against an alliance of Calakmul, Dos Pilas and Naranjo. The hiatus at Tikal lasted up to the ascension of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I (Ruler A) in A. D. 682. In A. D. 695, Yukno’m Yich’Aak K’ahk’ of Calakmul (Kanal), was defeated by the new ruler of Tikal, Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, Nu’n U Jol Chaak’s heir. This defeat of Calakmul restores Tikal’s preeminence in the Central Maya region, but never again in the southwest Petén, where Dos Pilas maintained its presence.

The beginning of the Tikal hiatus has served as a marker by which archaeologists commonly sub-divide the Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology into the Early and Late Classic. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into a number of named successive eras or periods from the earliest evidence of human habitation [1]

Rulers

The known rulers of Tikal, with general or specific dates attributed to them, include the following:

Image:TempleIIILintelMaudslay.jpg

King of Tikal from wooden lintel in Temple III Depicting either "Yax Nuun Ayin II" or "Dark Sun"

Late Preclassic

Early Classic

Hiatus

Late Classic

Note: English language names are provisional nicknames based on their identifying glyphs, where rulers' Maya language names have not yet been definitively deciphered phonetically.

Modern history

Two stelae on the North Acropolis in 1970
Two stelae on the North Acropolis in 1970

As is often the case with huge ancient ruins, knowledge of the site was never completely lost in the region. Some second- or third-hand accounts of Tikal appeared in print starting in the 17th century, continuing through the writings of John Lloyd Stephens in the early 19th century (Stephens and his illustrator Frederick Catherwood heard rumors of a lost city, with white building tops towering above the jungle, during their 1839-40 travels in the region). John Lloyd Stephens ( November 28, 1805 &ndash October 13, 1852) was an American explorer writer and diplomat Frederick Catherwood ( February 27, 1799 – September 27, 1854) was an English Artist and Architect Due to the site's remoteness from modern towns, however, no explorers visited Tikal until Modesto Méndez and Ambrosio Tut visited it in 1848. Several other expeditions came to further investigate, map, and photograph Tikal in the 19th century (including Alfred P. Maudslay in 1881-82) and the early 20th century. Alfred Percival Maudslay ( March 18, 1850 - January 22, 1931) was a British

In 1951 a small airstrip was built at the ruins, which previously could only be reached by several days travel through the jungle on foot or mule. From 1956 through 1970 major archeological excavations were made by the University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn) is a private University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. In 1979 the Guatemalan government began a further archeological project at Tikal, which continues to this day.

Popular culture

Photo gallery

Engraved altar 5.

Engraved stelae.

True pyramid at Mundo Perdido.

Pyramid steps.

Stone engravings.

Large stone mask at the North Acropolis complex, representing the Principal Bird Deity. In the Quichean document the Popol Vuh, Vucub-Caquix ("Seven-Macaw" is a bird demon pretending to be the sun and moon of the twilight world in between the former [2]

Coati at Tikal.

Photo-textured Laser scan elevation of Tikal's Temple II, showing measurements and dimensions for this Step pyramid. A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (i Step Pyramids The construction of step pyramids has been an ancient part of several cultures throughout history

Notes

  1. ^ Miller and Taube (1993), p. 20.
  2. ^ See annotations of the equivalent images of this mask, Nos. 7909A, 7909B, 7909C, at the Justin Kerr Precolumbian Portfolio (Kerr n. d. )

References

Coe, Michael D. (1987). Michael D Coe (born 1929 is an American Archaeologist, Anthropologist, epigrapher and Author. The Maya, 4th edition (revised), London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27455-X.  
Gill, Richardson B. (2000). The Great Maya Droughts: Water, Life, and Death. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. The University of New Mexico Press, founded in 1929 is a University press that is part of the University of New Mexico. ISBN 0-826-32194-1. OCLC 43567384. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose  
Harrison, Peter D. (2006). "Maya Architecture at Tikal", in Nikolai Grube (ed. ): Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest, Eva Eggebrecht and Matthias Seidel (assistant eds. ), Köln: Könemann Press, pp. 218–231. ISBN 3-8331-1957-8. OCLC 71165439. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose  
Kerr, Justin (n. d. ). A Precolumbian Portfolio (online database). FAMSI Research Materials. Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. Retrieved on 2007-06-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
Miller, Mary; and Karl Taube (1993). Mary Ellen Miller (b December 30, 1952) is an American Art historian and academic at Yale University. Karl Andreas Taube (born September 14, 1957)  is an American Mesoamericanist, Archaeologist, Epigrapher and ethnohistorian The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05068-6.  
Sharer, Robert J. (1994). The Ancient Maya, 5th edition (fully revised), Stanford CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-804-72130-0.  
Drew,David (1999). The Lost Chronicles of the Mayan Kings. Los Angeles: University of California Press.  

External links

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