Lost Cities of the Mayan Empire

By RHANDEL LOPEZ

Chichén Itzá

Although many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century, like the Greeks and the Romans, none have intrigued people like the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance continue to captivate people today. Chichén Itzá, the most visited and most spectacular of the Late Classic Maya cities, is at the center of the fascination.

In the later years of Maya civilization, Chichen Itzá had been inhabited for hundreds of years. In developing columns and exterior relief decoration, Chichén Itzá probably had over 30,000 residents at its peak, with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory, and several temples to boast.

The sacred cenote at Chichén Itzá, a sinkhole used for Maya rituals surrounding water, is of particular interest. The Maya regarded it as a primary concern because adequate water was rarely found on the limestone-based Yucatan surface. The underwater archeology conducted in the cenote at Chichén Itzá found that offerings (including people, possibly) were thrown into the sinkhole in honor of the Maya rain deity Chaac.

Despite its long history, Chichén Itzá had a relatively short period where it dominated the region, lasting from 800-950 CE. Nowadays, guides take tourists to one of the temples called the Nunnery for no good reason other than that the small rooms remind them of a nunnery back home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DTTV PUBLICATIONS
• Release date: Jun 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201876487

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RHANDEL LOPEZ

Chichén Itzá

Although many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century, like the Greeks and the Romans, none have intrigued people like the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance continue to captivate people today. Chichén Itzá, the most visited and most spectacular of the Late Classic Maya cities, is at the center of the fascination.

In the later years of Maya civilization, Chichen Itzá had been inhabited for hundreds of years. In developing columns and exterior relief decoration, Chichén Itzá probably had over 30,000 residents at its peak, with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory, and several temples to boast.

The sacred cenote at Chichén Itzá, a sinkhole used for Maya rituals surrounding water, is of particular interest. The Maya regarded it as a primary concern because adequate water was rarely found on the limestone-based Yucatan surface. The underwater archeology conducted in the cenote at Chichén Itzá found that offerings (including people, possibly) were thrown into the sinkhole in honor of the Maya rain deity Chaac.

Despite its long history, Chichén Itzá had a relatively short period where it dominated the region, lasting from 800-950 CE. Nowadays, guides take tourists to one of the temples called the Nunnery for no good reason other than that the small rooms remind them of a nunnery back home.

As with the great pyramid at Chichén Itzá, it is called El Castillo (The Castle), which it may not have been. For its spiral staircase, the observatory is named El Caracol (The Snail). As the great Maya cities gradually lost their populations, the names of these places became lost. As a result of Chichén Itzá's partial abandonment in 948, Maya culture continued to be disorganized until the revival around 1200 at Mayapán. People around the globe are intrigued by why Maya cities were abandoned and left to be overgrown by the jungle, especially those who like to speculate about lost civilizations.

Mayapan from above

During Mayapán's early days, the city was closely tied to the mighty trading city of Chichén Itzá, which dominated the region at that time. As a minor settlement in the orbit of Chichén, Mayapán gradually replaced it after its trade relations with the Toltecs of Tula crumbled, and it suffered a stunning defeat by Mayapán's armies. Mayapán displays admiration for Chichén Itzá and an attempt to position itself as a reincarnation of Maya tradition. Nonetheless, they emulated several Chichén characteristics and couldn't escape its tremendous influences - particularly in religion. Many buildings in the new city seem to be miniature replicas of those in Chichén.

Due, in part, to Chichén Itzá's prominence and longtime overshadowing of the site, much excavation and scholarly research on the site has only recently taken place, and while there is still plenty left to discover, a great deal of information about life in Mayapán has been unearthed. Several thousand buildings are believed to have been found and restored both inside and outside Mayapán's walls, which may have had a population of over 15,000 at its peak.

TIKAL

Tikal was one of the power centers of the Mayan empire during its Classical era (3rd-9th centuries CE). Although reportedly conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century CE, archeologists believe Tikal was built in the 5th or 4th century BC and eventually served as a political, economic, and military center of Mesoamerica. As the foreign rulers assimilated Mayan culture, Tikal remained a mighty city and has not abandoned until the 10th century.

As one of the most important ancient Maya cities, Tikal was built impressively, and despite its apparent conquest, its records were exceptionally well preserved. You will also find a list of the city's dynastic rulers and their tombs and monuments. Because of this preservation, Tikal offers researchers an unparalleled view of Ancient Maya culture and has contributed significantly to our understanding of Mayan history.

Uxmal

One of the most notable Maya cities was Uxmal during the Classical era. It wasn't as powerful as cities like Tikal, but Uxmal seemed to be at the forefront of Maya culture when it came to architecture. While Uxmal is still a popular tourist destination for tourists in the region, the site is shrouded in mystery despite its prominent location and its ruins. Despite the existence of Mayan chronicles and oral legends, scholars continue to work on Uxmal to better understand its origins, how many people lived there, and when it was abandoned.

It is the skills of Uxmal's artisans on show, however, whether through the construction of structures such as the five-level Pyramid of Magicians and expansive Governor's Palace or the decoration of the designs with exquisitely detailed art and sculpture. Uxmal itself is credited with its preservation because of its craftsmanship.

Classical

In what Mesoamerican scholars call the Classical period, Mayan culture and influence were heightened. Over 379 years, in the north-central Highlands of Yucatán, the region was dominated by two great powers, Tikal and Calakmul. Teotihuacan, Cholula, and Monte Albán dominated the west of central Mexico. There was relative stability during this period, though it did not seem like it as the ruling dynasties of Tikal and Calakmul fought numerous proxy wars through their many client states. Athens and Sparta went through this period in ancient Greece