Caracol is the largest Mayan site and ruins in Belize. Located about 25 miles south of San Ignacio in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, Caracol occupies an area of some 88 square kilometers and once supported a population of about , people in the sixth century AD. The ruins of the major Mayan civilization and archaeological site encompass numerous temples, pyramids, royal tombs, dwellings and structures, along with a sizeable collection of Mayan art. Occupied as early as the 16 th century BC, the Mayans continued to inhabit Lamanai all the way to the 17 th century AD.
Lamanai subsequently became part of British Honduras before the latter was granted independence by the British and officially renamed Belize in Tikal was a major Mayan civilization and arbiter of Mayan culture located in the dense rainforest of Guatemala.
Mayans inhabited Tikal from around BC to the end of the tenth century AD, with the kingdom reaching its peak of power and influence between and AD. Tikal National Park covers square miles of Mayan ruins and dense Guatemalan rainforest. Considering the massive scale of the site, about 10 square miles of this expanse had been excavated as of The Mayan temples range in height from to feet 42 to 65 meters.
Guatemala designated the ruins of the Mayan civilization of Tikal a National Monument in and a National Park in In between, George Lucas apparently saw fit to use Tikal as a rebel base in the original Star Wars movie in Chichen Itza emerged as a powerful regional capital toward the end of the Late Classic Period — AD of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, roughly corresponding to the decline of the traditional Mayan kingdoms of the southern lowlands.
As a sign and source of its considerable economic power, Chichen Itza was able to use maritime trade and transport through its port of Isla Cerritos to obtain gold and other natural resources from as far away as southern Central America.
Compared with other Mayan ruins, Tulum is a fairly recent artifact of Mayan civilization and one of the most well-preserved Mayan sites. Mayan culture in Tulum reached its peak between the 13 th and 15 th centuries. The largest Maya cities were home to many people. At the major centre of Tikal, for example, within a six-square-mile area, there were over 10, individual structures ranging from temple-pyramids to thatched-roof huts. Tikal's population is estimated at up to 60,, giving it a population density several times greater than an average city in Europe or America at the same period in history.
A Maya city from the Classic Period usually consisted of a series of stepped platforms topped by masonry structures, ranging from great temple-pyramids and palaces to individual house mounds. These structures were in turn arranged around broad plazas or courtyards.
Maya architecture is characterized by a sophisticated sense of decoration and art, expressed in bas-relief carvings and wall paintings. At major sites like Tikal, large buildings and complexes might also have been interconnected by stone roads or causeways.
The most impressive Maya site is likely Tikal in Guatemala. These photographs show the buildings around the Great Plaza: the Temple of the Giant Jaguar right-hand side; ca. At the heart of the Temple of the Giant Jaguar is the tomb of a high priest, buried with hundreds of offerings - vases, jade and so on. The sanctuary for worship at the top of the structure sits on a nine-tiered pyramid. Maya cities were rarely laid out in neat grids, and appear to have developed in an unplanned fashion, with temples and palaces torn down and rebuilt over and over through the centuries.
Because of this seemingly erratic pattern of settlement, the boundaries of Maya cities are often hard to determine. Some cities were surrounded by a moat, and some had defensive earthworks around them; however, this was unusual.
City walls are rare at Maya sites, with the exception of some recently discovered cities dating from the collapse of Maya civilization, when protective walls were suddenly thrown up around cities under siege from outside enemies. The Maya tended to build up a mound or base and then build upon it: as the wood and thatch wore away or rotted they would tear it down and build again on the same foundation.
Because the common Maya were often forced to build on lower ground than the palaces and temples in the city center, many of these mounds have been lost to flooding or encroaching wilderness. The Maya built great temples, palaces, and pyramids in their city centers. These were often mighty stone structures, over which wooden buildings and thatched roofs were often built.
The city center was the physical and spiritual heart of the city. Important rituals were done there, in the temples, palaces, and ball courts. Like many Maya buildings, Maya temples were built of stone, with platforms on the top where wooden and thatch structures could be built. Temples tended to be pyramids, with steep stone steps leading to the top, where important ceremonies and sacrifices took place.
Many temples are graced by elaborate stone carvings and glyphs. Temples were often built with astronomy in mind : certain temples are aligned to the movements of Venus, the sun or the moon. In the Lost World Complex at Tikal, for example, there is a pyramid which faces three other temples. If you're standing on the pyramid, the other temples are aligned with the rising sun on equinoxes and solstices. Important rituals took place at these times. The Palaces were large, multi-storied buildings which were home to the king and royal family.
They tended to be made of stone with wooden structures on top. Roofs were made of thatch. Some Maya palaces are spacious, including courtyards, different structures that were possibly homes, patios, towers, etc.
The palace at Palenque is a good example. Some of the palaces are quite large, leading researchers to suspect that they also acted as a sort of administrative center, where Maya bureaucrats regulated tribute, trade, agriculture, etc. This was also the place where the king and noblemen would interact not only with the common people but also with diplomatic visitors.
Feasts, dances, and other community social events could also have taken place there. The ceremonial ball game was an important part of Maya life. Common and noble people alike played for fun and recreation, but some games had important religious and spiritual significance.
Sometimes, after important battles in which important prisoners were taken such as enemy noblemen or even their Ahau, or King these prisoners would be forced to play a game against the victors. The game represented a re-enactment of the battle, and afterward, the losers which were naturally the enemy nobles and soldiers were ceremonially executed.
Ball courts, which were rectangular with sloped walls on either side, were prominently placed in Maya cities. Some of the more important cities had several courts. Ball courts were sometimes used for other ceremonies and events.
Although they were not on a par with the legendary Inca stonemasons of the Andes, Maya architects built structures which have withstood centuries of abuse. Mighty temples and palaces at places like Palenque , Tikal, and Chichen Itza survived centuries of abandonment , followed by excavation and now thousands of tourists walking and climbing all over them.
Before they were protected, many ruin sites were scavenged by locals looking for stones for their homes, churches or businesses. That the Maya structures have survived so well is a testament to the skill of their builders.
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