Tikal

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Tikal National Park*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party
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. It lies in modern day Guatemala at 17°13′19″N, 89°37′22″WCoordinates: 17°13′19″N, 89°37′22″W. Now it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist spot.

Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. The oldest monumental architecture at the site dates to the 4th century BC, but the best time of Tikal was during the Classic Period, ca. 200 AD to 900 AD. In this period Tikal dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily, because it was linked with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. After the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built, some palaces were burned and the population declined. The site was abandonment by the end of the 10th century.

Contents 1 Site characteristics 1.1 Rulers 1.1.1 Late Preclassic 1.1.2 Early Classic 1.1.3 Hiatus 1.1.4 Late Classic 2 References 3 Other websites

[change] Site characteristics

The ruins lie on lowland rainforest. But Tikal had no water other than what was collected from rainwater and stored in underground storage facilities. Archaeologists working in Tikal during the last century used the ancient underground facilities to store water for their own use. The absence of springs, rivers, and lakes in the immediate neighbourhood is exceptional for a major city. But Tikal prospered with intensive agricultural techniques, which were far more advanced than the slash & burn methods originally theorized by archeologists. 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.

[change] Rulers

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

[change] Late Preclassic

• Yax Ehb' Xook – ca. A.D. 60, dynastic founder
• Siyaj Chan K'awil Chak Ich'aak ("Stormy Sky I") – ca. 2nd century
• Yax Ch’aktel Xok – ca. 200

[change] Early Classic

• Balam Ajaw ("Decorated Jaguar") – A.D. 292
• K'inich Ehb' – ca. A.D. 300
• Ix Une' B'alam ("Queen Jaguar") – A.D. 317
• "Leyden Plate Ruler" – A.D. 320
• K'inich Muwaan Jol – died A.D. 359
• Chak Tok Ich'aak I ("Jaguar Paw I") – c.a. 360-378. His palace, unusually, was never built over by later rulers, and was kept in repair for centuries as an apparent revered monument. He died on the same day that Siyah K'ak' arrived in Tikal, probably executed by the Teotihuacano conquerors.
• Nun Yax Ayin – A.D. 370-411. Nun Yax Ayin was a noble from Teotihuacan who was installed on Tikal's throne in 379 by Siyaj K'ak'.
• Siyaj Chan K'awiil II ("Stormy Sky II") – A.D. 411-456.
• K'an-Ak ("Kan Boar") – A.D. 458-486.
• Ma'Kin-na Chan – ca. late 5th century.
• Chak Tok Ich'aak (Bahlum Paw Skull) – A.D. 486-508. Married to "Lady Hand"
• Ix Kalo'mte' Ix Yo K'in ("Lady of Tikal") – A.D. 511-527. Co-ruled with Kaloomte' B'alam, possibly as consort.
• Kaloomte' B'alam ("Curl-Head" and "19th Lord") – A.D. 511-527. Co-ruled with Ix Kalo'mte' Ix Yo K'in ("Lady of Tikal"), as regent.
• "Bird Claw" ("Animal Skull I", "Ete I") – ca. A.D. 527–537.
• Wak Chan K'awiil ("Double-Bird") – A.D. 537-562. Capture and possible sacrifice by Caracol.
• "Lizard Head II" – Unknown, lost a battle with Caracol in A.D. 562.

[change] Hiatus

• K'inich Waaw – A.D. 593-628.
• K'inich Wayaan – ca. early/mid 7th century.
• K'inich Muwaan Jol II – ca. early/mid 7th century.

[change] Late Classic

• Jasaw Chan K'awiil I (a.k.a. Ruler A or Ah Cacao) – A.D. 682-734. Entombed in Temple I. His queen Lady Twelve Macaw (died A.D. 704) is entombed in Temple II. Triumphed in war with Calakmul in A.D. 711.
• Yik'in Chan K'awiil (a.k.a. Ruler B) – A.D. 734-766. His wife was Shana'Kin Yaxchel Pacal "Green Jay on the Wall" of Lakamha. It is unknown exactly where is tomb lies, but strong archaeological parallels between Burial 116 (the resting place of his father) and Burial 196, located in the diminutive pyramid immediately south of Temple II and referred to as Str. 5D-73, suggest the latter may be the tomb of Yik’in Chan Kawil (Sharer 1994:169). Other possible locations, and likely candidates as mortuary shrines, include Temples IV and VI.
• "Temple VI Ruler" – A.D. 766-768
• Yax Nuun Ayiin II ("Chitam") – A.D. 768-790
• Chitam II ("Dark Sun") – Buried ca. A.D. 810 Buried in Temple III
• "Jewel K'awil" – A.D. 849
• Jasaw Chan K'awiil II – A.D. 869-889

[change] References

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. 

[change] Other websites

• Tikal National Park
• Tikal Digital Media Archive (creative commons-licensed photos, laser scans, panoramas), focused in the area around the Great Plaza and Temple IV with data from a UC Berkeley/CyArk research partnership
• Park description and photo gallery
• Tikal at the Open Directory Project
• History of Rediscovery and Archaeological Work at Tikal at Mesoweb
• Tikal UNESCO Designation