Mayan Marvel
The Mayans were a prominent people for thousands of years making contributions to life as we know it with advances in writing, mathematics and astronomy. One of the most powerful kingdoms of ancient Maya was Tikal in Northern Guatemala. You may recognize this ancient city from its appearance in George Lucas’ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). This Mayan city dates back to the 4th century and was around for over a thousand years before its abandonment. Thanks to their ability to document events using hieroglyphics, this is the best understood Mayan city.
Tikal’s Grand Plaza – Photo courtesy of Dennis Hurd
For approximately 700 years Tikal acted as the capital of the Mayan kingdom, controlling the politics, the economy and the military. One of the largest Mayan cities, Tikal is compromised of about 3,000 structures that rise up from the surrounding jungle. Since the area of Tikal is swampy, most of the buildings are built on high areas that have been connected using limestone ridges that rise up above the swampy lowlands.
The absence of springs, rivers and lakes would be detrimental to most but the Mayans collected rainwater in reservoirs and used trenches that surrounded the city as a way of collecting water as well as a defense mechanism. This lack of water also caused them to develop intensive agricultural techniques that differed from the traditional slash and burn method.
Tikal has a number of temples, monuments, palaces, administrative buildings and residences as well as a building that strongly resembles a jail with wooden bars restricting doors and windows. Spanning 16 square kilometers, Tikal was home to an estimated 90,000 residents with a steadily increasing population. Tikal flourished for years, documenting its rulers for generations, until the 9th century when the city fell into silence. By the end of the 9th century Tikal was nothing but a couple of squatters who vandalized much of the once prosperous city.
Tikal was slowly reclaimed by the surrounding jungle up until its rediscovery in 1850. In the jungle you will find a number of Giant Kapok trees that were held scared by the Mayans. You’ll find a number of spider monkeys, falcons, toucans and parrots have made the area of Tikal their home.
