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Mysteries of a lost civilization
The Maya of central America reached remarkable intellectual and artistic heights during the Classic period of their great civilization, between around AD 250 and 900. They built huge temples and pyramids, inscribed stone monuments, made major advances in mathematics and astronomy, and developed
complex hieroglyphic scripts. But their great civilization was doomed to undergo a mysterious collapse that would leave their mighty temples and pyramids abandoned.... |
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Tikal
During the Classic period of the Maya civilization, the great city of Tikal thrived in dense lowland jungle of what is now part of Guatemala. In the ceremonial heart of the city were palaces and lofty pyramids topped by temples. The Tikal pyramids include the highest known structure
built in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans.
Around AD 900, Tikal declined as Maya civilization in the region suffered the mysterious collapse that marked the end of their Classic period.
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Temple I at Tikal - the Temple of the Great Jaguar - sits on a towering pyramid built over the tomb of King Hasaw Chan K'awil.
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Temples I and II rise above the Tikal forest. These temples and their upper roof combs were originally adorned with painted reliefs. Maya nobility and priests used the temples for ceremonies and religious rites, with the populace watching from the Great Plaza below.
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Possible reasons for the collapse of the great Maya cities like Tikal include overpopulation, environmental degradation, drought and the Maya's long history of warfare.
Over the ensuing centuries, the abandoned buildings of Tikal were reclaimed by the jungle. Some structures have now been cleared and restored, but most of Tikal still lies beneath a canopy of tropical forest alive with birdsong and the calls of howler monkeys. |
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Most of the Copan stelae, including those shown here, depict the 13th ruler Waxaklahun Ubah K'awil - usually known as 18 Rabbit. This great king and egoist crowded the Great Plaza at Copan with his monuments until he was captured and beheaded by the ruler of a rival city in AD 738.
His stelae are carved in deep relief and stand over three meters high.
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Copan
The stelae which stood in the plazas of major Classic period Maya sites are impressive examples of Maya art. Most of these great stone monuments depict rulers and hieroglyphic texts that extol their feats. Some of the most impressive stelae are those at the Maya site of Copan in Honduras,
close to the Guatemala border.
Maya art and culture at their peak are well represented at Copan. These stone sculptures are now in the museum at the site. |
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Palenque
Morning mists clear from the lush forests of the Mexican Chiapas highlands to reveal the ruins of Palenque. This Maya center reached its peak during the late Classic period, after around AD 600. This time included the reign of the great ruler Hanab Pakal when Palenque flourished as
a major power. After Palenque mysteriously declined around the same time as Tikal, the Chiapas forests enveloped the fine buildings and hid a remarkable secret for centuries.... |
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Stone reliefs at Palenque |
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The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque is set against a steep, forested hillside. |
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....On top of a tall pyramid at Palenque is the Temple of the Inscriptions that holds hieroglyphic panels recounting the history of Pakal's ancestors. The secret of the temple was discovered in the 1950s when a hidden stairway was uncovered below the floor. The twisting tunnel led
down through the interior of the pyramid to a crypt. When a huge stone slab covered in relief carvings was moved, the tomb of Pakal and jade treasures were found beneath it.
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The mighty Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal.
The Pyramid of the Magician rises into a stormy Mexican sky. Entry to the upper temple is through a monster-mask doorway. |
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Uxmal
While Maya civilization was collapsing in the central and southern lowlands toward the end of the Classic period, it continued to flourish further north in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Uxmal emerged at this time as a major site. Uxmal was built in a distinctive architectural style
known as Puuk which features facades with elaborate mosaic decoration. Ultimately, even Uxmal could not avoid the upheavals in the Maya lands and its fine buildings were also abandoned by the time of the Spanish conquest.
Images of the rain god Chac are everywhere at Uxmal. In an area in which water was scarce, Chac was deeply venerated by the Maya. |
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Chichen Itza
The upheavals in the Maya lands toward the end of the Classic period saw Maya peoples with Mexican influences moving into the Yucatan. One such group were the Itza who settled at Chichen Itza. The history of the site is uncertain and it may be that a conquest by the Toltecs from the
north reinforced Mexican influences here in the Post-Classic period. The cult of the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl was introduced and the deity became known to the Maya as Kukulkan.
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Human sacrifice became increasingly important at Chichen Itza. This is part of a relief on the Platform of Skulls, where the heads of victims were displayed. |
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The impressive Temple of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, at Chichen Itza was dedicated to the cult of the feathered serpent deity. At each equinox, sunshine and shadow form the illusion of a serpent creeping down the steps.
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A chacmool. These bizarre sculptures may have been introduced by the Toltecs. They grasp a receptacle probably used for offerings or to hold the hearts of sacrifice victims. |
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