Tikal: Mayan Wonderland
It’s 2012, so we had to make a visit to Tikal, perhaps the best preserved Maya site in the world. Much like Machu Picchu, the complex was overgrown and hidden by jungle until its discovery to Western expeditions in the 1850s. Tikal itself was abandoned during the Maya collapse where in a scenario that would make Malthus proud, the empire could not sustain its own exploding population. In the past century, UPenn (alumni pride for Susan) has partnered with Guatemala to help excavate the vast number of buildings at Tikal. It seems every mound hides another unnumbered temple. We couldn’t help comparing the Mayan buildings with the Inca; whereas Inca buildings had fine stonework, the Maya built these massive monuments almost a millenia before the Inca. We’re blessed to have seen both cultures on this one trip.
A sacred ceiba tree that connects the three realms (heaven, earth, underworld) near the Tikal entrance
Our first Mayan structure on this trip: a small pyramid at Complex Q
Spider monkeys hover above; we spotted twenty in one afternoon
The mound on the right likely hides another Mayan structure
Look down on the paths, and you’ll likely catch a parade of leafcutter ants
History is recorded by these carved stelae
Another structure emerges into view at Complex P
Climb Temple IV for an amazing view over the forest
A sampling of the tropical birds we saw at Tikal
The Great Plaza – from the top of Temple II
An alternate view of the Great Plaza from the North Acropolis
Living quarters in the Central Acropolis; on the right is a bedroom
Look closely at stone flourishes such as this face emerging from a small temple
A view up Temple V – notice the curved stonework along the temple corner
These before/after pictures suggest how much work is involved in the excavation
The jungle clings to its claim on this pyramid
Temples & pyramids were precisely built to align with the vernal & autumnal equinox
The Great Pyramid at El Mundo Perdido – part of the joy at Tikal is the chance to climb so many structures
Sunset over El Mundo Perdido, aka the Lost World
