Tikal’s Ancient Maya Civilization

Officially the Republic of Guatemala, Guatemala is a land full of natural beauty and unique heritage. It’s known as the “Land of Eternal Spring” and rests in Central America, bordered by Mexico on the north and west, Belize on the northeast, Honduras to the east and El Salvador on the southeast, with the Pacific Ocean to its south and the Gulf of Honduras to the northeast. Guatemala is also well known for its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and rightly so; the colonial town of Antigua and the ancient Maya archaeological sites of Quiriguá and Tikal National Park are truly stunning. Plus, the peoples of Guatemala are incredibly mild mannered, gracious and kind, focusing on family, education and hard work in industries like coffee, banana and sugar production.

Tikal is an incredible Pre-Colombian economic, political and military center in the heart of the jungle in northern Guatemala and one of the most valuable archaeological complexes left by the Maya civilization. Its ruins sit within Tikal National Park in a large, forested region often called Maya Forest, extending into neighboring Mexico and Belize. The park is one of few UNESCO World Heritage Sites honored for both its natural and cultural qualities including extraordinary biodiversity and archeological importance. The location was inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 10th century AD and contains fine examples of Maya architecture in temples, palaces and public squares.

Arriving in Guatemala was a feat in and of itself. My adventure began with a missed flight and several trips back and forth to LAX, but was worth the headache once I landed in the candy colored colonial city of Antigua. From the capital city of Guatemala City, Antigua can be reached in under an hour by taxi. After spending a few days wandering Antigua on foot, I arranged a day trip to explore the Mayan villages and volcanic crater lakes of Lake Atitlán. Back in Antigua, I met a local guide offering tours of Antigua’s surrounding villages where we’d search for macadamia nuts, textile shops and authentic Guatemalan fare. Finally, in the northern rainforests of Guatemala, using Flores as my base, I met up with some friends to explore the wonders of Tikal and its ancient Mayan civilization.

Favorite places to visit in Guatemala

Contents

• Arrive in Flores (Tikal’s Home Base)

• Breakfast at Panela in Tikal’s Rainforest

• Discover Tikal’s History & Start Exploring

• Twin Pyramid Complex

• Temple IV

• Talud Tablero Temple

• Lost World Pyramid

• Temple III

• Temple V

• Central Acropolis

• North Acropolis

• Temple II

• Temple I

• Dine at Bistro Puertas del Cielo in Flores

Arrive in Flores (Tikal's Home Base)

Though it’s possible to stay in Tikal I opted to stay in the nearby town of Flores at an AirBnB. Traveling from Antigua to Tikal was just too far in a single day and the drive from Flores lasts only an hour. Plus, prices to stay in Tikal are quite high. From Antigua, I hopped on a one hour flight into Flores, landed and walked to my modest apartment. It is important to note that flights within Guatemala are rarely on time, so be cautious if you have connecting flights out of the country or other time constraints.

Once in Flores, I spent the evening at dinner at La Casa de Enrico, a charming restaurant focusing on local ingredients and sustainability. Dining al fresco on the rooftop among twinkle lights and lush greenery, I ordered an frozen drink called pozole, made with corn, spices and milk. To eat, I chose the bollos de criaya and pollo en kol, both traditional Mayan dishes. Bollos de criaya is made with corn and chaya leaves, served with tomato sauce and fresh cheese, while pollo en kol is made with chicken and coated in roasted tomato sauce, habanero chili peppers and spices from the region, served with mashed rice and corn. Each dishes was incredible and I enjoyed every bite.

I’d also arranged a taxi ride to Tikal for the following morning, costing $70 USD round trip.

After a night’s rest at my Airbnb, I woke early to meet my driver near the water’s edge of Lago Peten Itza. At a maximum depth of 520 feet, Lago Peten Itza is the third largest lake in Guatemala, after Lake Izabal and Lake Atitlán.

The lake is a natural body of water with several small islands and opportunities to swim or boat, though, it’s most known for remnants of Maya civilization which can be found in the surrounding area.

In total, there are some 27 Mayan sites around the lake, including the ruins of Tayazal which are located near Flores. Much of the surrounding land is covered with tropical rainforests and farms growing sugarcane, cacao, grains and tropical fruit.

The waters were soft, smooth and calm so early in the morning and a deep shade of blue. They were undisturbed until a few men started up their motor boat, greeting me with a quick wave hello.

Breakfast at Panela in Tikal's Rainforest

At 7 a.m. promptly, I met my driver who’d be taking me northeast around the lake to Tikal National Park. I’d planned to meet a few friends at Tikal but they were coming from over the border in Belize, so there was a bit of coordination needed. My ride was smooth sailing, as I arrived in Tikal at 8:30 a.m. as planned.

With time to spare, I sat for breakfast at Panela inside the Jungle Lodge Hotel. Though giving a resort feel, the dining area was pleasant and surrounded by rich plant life. To drink, I ordered a fruit juice and latte, with a breakfast plate including two fried eggs topped with red onion, tomato, bell peppers and avocado, fried plantains and black beans.

After finishing my meal, I waited until my friends arrived around 10:30 a.m.. During that time, I made sure to purchase my ticket at the entrance gate. Tickets for adult foreigners cost 150 GTQ, or about $20 USD; once ticketed, you’'ll receive a wristband. Because I arrived so early, there weren’t any lines but some recommend buying tickets online to avoid potential long lines at the gate.

Discover Tikal's History & Start Exploring

Tikal is the ruin of an ancient city, likely to have been called Yax Mutal, found in a rainforests of Guatemala. It’s one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. The ancient city is located in the in the archeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala. The site is part of Guatemala’s Tikal National Park and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of ancient Maya. The city reached its height during the Classic Period around AD 200 to 900, though some of the sites architecture dates back as far as the 4th century BC. During its peak, the city dominated the Maya region economically, politically and militarily, while forging relationships with regions throughout Mesoamerica like the great urban sprawl of Teotihuacan in the valley of Mexico. The city may have also been a natural east-west trade route across the Yucatán Peninsula.

Interestingly, there is indication that one of Tikal’s great ruling dynasties was founded by rulers from Teotihuacan in the 4th century AD. After the end of the Late Classic Period, there were no new considerable monuments built at Tikal and evidence shows that many important palaces were burned.

Population estimates for Tikal range from 10,000 to as high as 90,000 inhabitants. The population began to continuously grow beginning in the Preclassic Period (about 2000 BC – AD 200), with a peak in the Late Classic period where population grew rapidly from AD 700 to 830, followed by a sharp decline. Population decline lead to the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.

Twin-Pyramid Complex

Once my friends arrived, I was surprised to learn that they’d brought a guide along with them. Lucky me! Willie took his obligations seriously and began to lead us into the jungle, seemingly through a path less traveled.

The ruins of Tikal spread across the tropical rainforests of northern Guatemala, located among abundant fertile upland soils. Noteworthy trees at the park include the gigantic Kapok tree, sacred tree of the Maya, the tropical cedar and Honduras mahogany. Regarding fauna, agoutis (rabbit sized rodent), white nosed coatis (member of the raccoon family), gray foxes, Geofffroy’s spider monkeys, howler monkeys, harpy eagles, falcons, ocellated turkeys, guans (bird that resembles a turkey), toucans, green parrots and leafcutter ants are regularly spotted, many of which I can attest to. Cougars, jaguars and ocelots are also said to roam the park.

The majority of the city of Tikal is still covered by jungle and the residential area has not been cleared, mapped or excavated. The city itself covers an area greater than six miles, including nearly 3,000 structures. However, a 2016 research project funded by PACUNAM, a Guatemalan nonprofit, scanned an 800 square mile area and found an estimated 61,000 structures hidden beneath the jungle.

A series of parallel limestone ridges rise above swampy lowlands with the major architecture of the site clustered on higher ground and linked by raised causeways spanning the swamps. The surrounding area was declared Tikal National Park with a preserved area covering 220 square miles. As the first protected area in Guatemala, the park was created on May 26, 1955 under the guidance of the Instituto de Antropología e Historia.

Emerging from the uncharted jungle, our guide led us to our first zone, Group Q. Group Q is a twin pyramid complex made up of two identical flat topped pyramids on either side of a small plaza. A walled enclosure to the north houses a stelae-altar pair and a range building sits to the south. One of the largest at Tikal, most of the complex has been restored and its monuments have been re-erected.

A twin-pyramid complex or twin-pyramid group is an architectural innovation of the Maya civilization of ancient Mesoamerica. Group Q was built by Yax Nuun Ayiin II in 771 to mark the end of the 17th k'atun. A k’atun is a unit of time in the Maya calendar equal to 20 tuns or 7,200 days. A twenty year ritual period, the twin pyramid complex was built as a stage for rituals surrounding the Maya calendar k'atun and its celebrations.

Erected in front of the eastern pyramid are several stones called stelae and altars. Stelae are low, cylindrical stones with images and hieroglyphs carved into their flat surfaces. They were a way to enact royal ceremonies in stone and were sometimes considered to be magical extensions of a royal person. The altars accompanied the stelae.

Likely unnoticeable without a guide, Willie pointed out several structures still buried underground. Covered in earth, plant life and even trees, there were countless ruins that had not yet been uncovered. These mounds were shaped as pyramids or covered in dense trees with tops of ruins poking out from above.

After decades of archeological work, only a fraction of Tikal’s ancient structures have been excavated. Included in the 15% having been excavated, the most prominent surviving buildings include six massive pyramids, coined Temples I – VI, numbered sequentially during the early survey of the site, each supporting a temple structure on their summits. It’s also estimated that each of these major temples could have been built in as little as two years.

As one of the largest Classic period Maya cities and one of the largest cities in the Americas, Tikal has been partially restored by the University of Pennsylvania and the government of Guatemala. The structures of the ancient city were built from local limestone that was quarried onsite. Within the remains are temples towering over 230 feet high, great royal palaces, smaller pyramids, palaces, residences, administrative buildings, platforms, inscribed stone monuments and a building which seemed to have been a jail. A unique feature in Mesoamerica, there are also seven courts for playing the the Mesoamerican ballgame, a game played since at least 1650 BC.

Temple IV

Temple IV is the tallest temple at Tikal and one of the largest pyramids built anywhere in the Maya region in the 8th century, standing as one of the tallest pre-Colombian structures in the Americas. It stands 230 feet high, measuring from the plaza floor to the top of its roof comb, a crown-like ornate decorative element that tops a structure, and features seven stepped levels with a three-level roof comb.

It was built in AD 741, during the Late Classic period to honor Yik'in Chan K'awiil, the 27th king of the Tikal dynasty, though it may have been built after his death as his funerary temple. Today, archaeologists believe that his tomb lies undiscovered underneath the temple.

The temple is located at the western edge of the site core facing east, while two carved wooden lintels over the doorway leading into the temple on the pyramid’s summit depict its construction date. Temple IV has undergone decades of restoration to reach the state it’s in today.

Talud Tablero Temple

Known as Talud-Tablero Temple thanks to its architectural style, Structure 5C-49 sits within the Mundo Perdido Complex. The “talud” is a steeply sloping wall, while the “tablero” is a table-like right angle protrusion. A tablero typically sits between two taluds and is a style largely synonymous with the architecture of Teotihuacan, an extensive Mexican archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City.

It’s the only temple found at Tikal that uses this style, leading many to believe it was influenced or even built by the people of Teotihuacan. It wasn’t uncommon for other Mesoamerican cultures to have buildings and temples in remote cities they traded with, such as Maya who were believed to have structures at Xochicalco and the Zapotec at Teotihuacan.

The pyramid has a projecting stairway rising to a summit shrine with three corbel-vaulted chambers and a roof comb. Prior to the archaeological exploration, the ceilings and roof comb had collapsed into the first two chambers. The ruined temple stands 72 feet high but with its summit shrine and roof comb intact it would’ve been taller.

The exterior of the pyramid shows three distinct phases of construction, beginning in the latter half of the 3rd century BC. Over the years, several additions were made making the pyramid larger, adding a stairway and eventually a summit shrine with three vaulted rooms and elaborate roof comb. Its final construction occurred around the time Temple V was built, the first of the major temples of Tikal.

After AD 700, the pyramid served as the location for three burials, potentially royal family. Two males and a female have been excavated from the pyramid, along with valuable offerings such as ceramics and objects crafted from shell, conch and mother or pearl. The burials have been dated to the reign of Yax Nuun Ayiin II, who ruled from AD 769 to 794.

Lost World Pyramid

Covering nearly 15 acres, the Mundo Perdido Complex consists of 38 structures including Talud Tablero Temple and its main structure, the Lost World Pyramid, or Great Pyramid (Structure 5C-54). The largest ceremonial complex dating from the Preclassic period at Tikal, the Mundo Perdido complex was rebuilt many times over the course of its history with the earliest dating to the late Middle Preclassic period.

The original core of the Lost World was an astronomical complex known as E-Set with the east staircase of the pyramid as the observation point and the three original temples of the East Platform used as locations to chart the sunrise at equinoxes and solstices. The pyramid is accessed by a stairway on the west side, lined by giant stucco masks originally designed to observe the stars and the solar system. The final structure has stairways on both the east and west sides reaching the top, while those on the north and south climb only as high as eight of ten levels.

The large plaza is centered upon the Lost World Pyramid and the ceremonial platform to the west is divided into two clear areas referred to as the High Plaza and the Low Plaza, with the High Plaza surrounding the Lost World Pyramid. More recently, the Proyecto Nacional Tikal defined the complex by dividing it into four plazas, the North, East and West defined by their relationship to the Lost World Pyramid.

Rising 102 feet high and with a base 221 feet wide, the Lost World Pyramid was one of the most massive structures built at Tikal and in the whole of Late Preclassic Mesoamerica. Its construction used masonry blocks measuring nearly six feet long, while its architectural style was shaped by the great city of Teotihuacan, near current day Mexico City.

During this time and forward, the Mundo Perdido Complex became one of the main areas of Tikal, the other being the North Acropolis. The location may have also served as the royal necropolis. Periodically rebuilt throughout its history, the current version is the fifth and dates to around AD 250. The masks that once enhanced the sides of the structure have eroded to an unidentifiable point but traces of the stucco show that at some point the exterior was painted blue and red.

Climbing to its top was a feat within itself and the views from above the forest canopy were incredible. Just above the jungle’s surface it was possible to see several other ruins protruding into the sky, or simply placed among the trees as if dropped from above.

Temple III

The tall thin structure most visible from perched atop the Lost World Pyramid is Temple III. Also known as the Temple of the Jaguar Priest, Temple III was an important temple pyramid of Tikal and the last of the great pyramids to be built. Dated to 810 AD using hieroglyphic text, the temple stands 180 feet tall. The summit shrine differs from the other main temples at Tikal in that it only has two rooms instead of the usual three. It contains an elaborately sculpted but damaged roof lintel (beam), possibly depicting Dark Sun, little known king, engaged in a ritual dance.

Built in the Late Classic period and associated with king Dark Sun, the temple was likely used as his funerary temple. The time of the construction also indicates political stability at the beginning of the 9th century. Though, it was the last temple pyramid raised at Tikal and by the end of the 9th century, the city had fallen into ruin, the rainforest reclaiming the city for the next thousand years. The downfall of Tikal was likely due to several reasons including disease, famine and overpopulation. Water sources became polluted, likely by droughts and building materials containing mercury washing into reservoirs. Tikal’s large population of Maya could not be sustained by local agriculture and the Tikal-Calakmul wars were all part of Tikal’s undoing.

Temple III is only partially restored with its summit shrine and roof comb as the focus. The body of the pyramid is known to have nine stepped levels and an east facing access stairway. The inner doorway separating the two chambers of the summit shrine supports a beautifully carved lintel of an obese figure wrapped in jaguar skin. This is one of only two sculpted lintels at Tikal that are still in their original position. Sadly, the roof comb and the outer chamber of the summit shrine have suffered lightning damage, causing a 4” wide crack down the eastern wall. The temple is closed to the public and hasn’t been the subject of archaeological investigation.

Temple V

Temple V stands south of the Central Acropolis and is the mortuary pyramid of an unidentified ruler. Nearby ceramics date the structure’s construction during the reign of Nun Bak Chak in the second half of the 7th century. It is one of the tallest and most voluminous structures in the Maya world, standing 187 feet high, making it the second tallest at Tikal (only Temple IV is taller).

The temple is located in the southern part of Tikal’s site core, sitting on a ridge that also supports the Lost World Complex, the Plaza of the Seven Temples and the South Acropolis. Just in front of the platform supporting the temple structure, a depression was used as one of the city’s reservoirs. By the Late Classic period, access to the temple was severely limited due to the reservoir and other surrounding structures. This was unusual for large structures at Tikal that typically link to the city’s network of causeways, leaving us to wonder if Temple V had already been abandoned and fallen into disrepair, which might possibly explain the temple’s poor state of preservation compared to the other principal temples in the city.

The style of the pyramid features wide balustrades flanking the main stairway and rounded corners of the temple indicating the continued influence of earlier traditions. This view of the northwest corner, shows its seven stepped sections with a shrine at the top of the pyramid containing a single small room, topped by a large roof comb. Uncovered offerings near the site include earthenware bowls, ceramic vessels and perforated shells used as jewelry, along with five used incense burners. Two burials have also been discovered in the area: a female aged approximately 15 years who was placed in a fetal position, her teeth perforated for decorative purposes and a young adult male, between 18 and 22 years of age, having been subject to artificial cranial deformation (deformed intentionally) and teeth that had been filed and perforated.

Central Acropolis

Continuing on, Willie led us through what felt like the back door of the Central Acropolis. Through the jungle, an entire complex emerged out of nowhere. The Central Acropolis is an architectural complex just south of the Great Plaza. The Central Acropolis was first realized in the Late Preclassic period, during 50 BC - AD 250, and remained in use until about AD 950. The complex served both administrative and residential purposes.

Nicknamed Maler’s Palace, Structure 5D-65 is shown below. Its western façade served as the retaining wall of the southwest side of the acropolis, while the west room has an exterior doorway opening above the retaining wall. The room's interior has a large, recessed false doorway opposite the exterior door, designed to give the illusion of a temple when seen from below.

The Central Acropolis is oriented east-west which was established pretty early on in its history. The acropolis continued to develop over more than 500 years, expanding upwards, superimposing new architecture, as opposed to building outward over a larger area. The area was used to house Tikal royal families, first used as a royal residence and later as an important residential palace complex. The complex includes 43 structures that are arranged around a series of six courtyards, each at a different level.

Excavations uncovered few burials within the Central Acropolis but four were discovered under a single structure. Typically, at lowland Maya sites, burials were common under family homes; the lack of burials under many structures indicate that most weren’t permanently occupied residential structures. Those without burials were likely to have been temporary homes for the priesthood, schools and ritual retreat houses.

Through the Central Acropolis and up over into the North Acropolis, we moved after our guide navigating the terrain and stone steps.

North Acropolis

The Great Plaza lies at the core of Tikal, flanked on the east and west sides by two great temple-pyramids. On the north side it’s bordered by the North Acropolis and on the south by the Central Acropolis.

The North Acropolis, along with the Great Plaza, is one of the most studied architectural groups in the Maya area; the Tikal Project excavated a huge trench across the complex, investigating its construction history. Construction began around 350 BC during the Preclassic period, developing into a funerary complex for the ruling dynasty of the Classic period, with each additional royal burial adding new temples on top of the older structures. Several royal tombs have been excavated and identified with the remains of known kings.

Sometime after AD 400, a row of tall pyramids was added to the earlier Northern Platform, gently hiding it from view. Eight temple pyramids were built during the 6th century AD, each with an elaborate roof comb and stairway flanked by masks of the gods. By the 9th century AD, 43 stelae and 30 altars had been erected in the North Acropolis; 18 of these monuments were carved with hieroglyphic texts and royal portraits. The North Acropolis continued to receive burials into the Postclassic period.

Temple II

Built in the Late Classic period around AD 700 in a style referencing the Early Classic, Temple II is located on the west side of the Great Plaza, opposite Temple I. Temple II was built by king Jasaw Chan K’ awiil I in honor of his wife, Lady Lahan Unen Mo’. Entombed beneath Temple I and whose name means “Twelve Macaw Tails”, she was the mother of Jasaw Chan Kʼawill I's heir. This heir, Yik’ in Chan K’ awiil, oversaw the completion of Temple II when he became king.

The pyramid, also known as Temple of the Masks, is a stocky, massive structure standing 125 feet high and is the most thoroughly restored of the major temples at Tikal. The temple rises in three stepped levels, the uppermost supporting the summit shrine. Two badly eroded giant masks embellish the upper platform, flanking the stairway to the shrine. It’s these masks that give the temple its moniker. And like other major temples at Tikal, the summit shrine has three chambers with doorways spanned by wooden lintels; only the middle of which is carved with what’s thought to be the queen’s portrait.

Temple I

Temple I, also known as the Temple of the Great Jaguar, is a typically Petén-styled limestone stepped pyramid structure dating to approximately AD 732. Its name comes from a lintel depicting a king sitting upon a jaguar throne. Alternatively, the temple is coined Temple of Ah Cacao after the ruler buried inside. A funerary temple for king Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil I who ruled from AD 682-734, his tomb was located by archaeologists deep within the structure, having been built first with the temple raised over it. The temples location on the eastern side of the Great Plaza was a notable deviation from the tradition of building funerary temples north of the plaza in the North Acropolis.

Temple I rises nine stepped levels, which may be symbolic of the nine levels of the underworld, to a height of 180 feet over the Great Plaza. The temple has grooved moldings and inset corners, along with a steep staircase climbing to the summit shrine and is topped with a characteristic roof comb and funerary shrine with delicately carved wooden lintels. The lintels were carved from local sapodilla wood with one painted red and another depicting a seated figure with an enormous serpent rising above him. Although tough to read, the shrine also bears a tall roof comb decorated with a carving of the seated king, Jasaw Chan K'awiil.

The tomb of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I was discovered in 1962 by archaeologists who entered through its roof after tunneling from the bottom of the temple stairway. Inside a large vaulted chamber, a massive bench held the king’s body, his remains placed on a woven mat. His tomb contained lavish offerings of jaguar skins, pearls, jade, ceramics, rare shells, mirrors and other works of art. The king’s body was covered with jade objects including an oversized necklace with 114 beads, weighing over eight and a half pounds.

And with that our tour came to a close around 2 p.m. Willie guided us to a small cafe for a quick bite to eat where I chose a dish of chicken and veggies alongside mixed rice and fries, served with warm tortillas and a large lemonade. After walking about five miles, it was nice to rest our feet. Along the way, we’d also run into several animals in the jungle, including spider monkeys, turkeys and raccoon-like animals. Walking what I’d call the “back trails”, Willie led us around the sites effortlessly. We emerged from the trees each time, shocked at what stood before us; it was something quite magical. In the end, I had a tough time finding my driver who’d been waiting for me outside in the parking lot but once I did we set off back to Flores for the late afternoon and evening.

Dine at Bistro Puertas del Cielo in Flores

Once back in Flores and exhausted from a long day of exploring, I stopped by Hotel Peten to soak in the sun and go for a swim. Later, I walked over to Bistro Puertas del Cielo for dinner. Without a menu in sight, the chef asked me what kinds of foods I enjoy and whipped up a delicious white fish in a citrus sauce with vegetables. I’d heard this spot doesn’t have a menu but the chef will prepare a special in season dish of your choice.

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Map of Tikal