Guatemala Tikal Ruins and Pyramid - Around the World Adventure with Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers - 150 Countries, 150,000 Miles in three years - Ruins at Tikal Guatemala

Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now modern-day northern Guatemala. Situated in the department of El Petén at, the site is part of Guatemala's Tikal National Park and in 1979 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The closest large modern settlements are Flores and Santa Elena, approximately 64 kilometres (40 mi) by road to the southwest.

Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates to the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. There is also evidence that Tikal was even conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century. [2] Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the sites abandonment by the end of the 10th century.

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Tikal rising above jungle canopy

The ruins lie among lowland rainforest. Conspicuous trees at the Tikal park include gigantic ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) the sacred tree of the Maya; tropical cedar (Cedrela odorata), and mahogany (Swietenia). Regarding the fauna, agouti, coatis, gray foxes, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, harpy eagles, falcons, ocellated turkeys, guans, toucans, green parrots and leaf-cutting ants can be seen there regularly. Jaguars, jaguarundis, and cougars are also said to roam in the park. For centuries this city was completely covered under jungle.

The largest of the Classic Maya cities, Tikal had no water other than what was collected from rainwater and stored in underground storage facilities (termed chultuns). Archaeologists working in Tikal during the last century utilized the ancient underground facilities to store water for their own use. The absence of springs, rivers, and lakes in the immediate vicinity of Tikal highlights a prodigious feat: building a major city with only supplies of stored seasonal rainfall. Tikal prospered with intensive agricultural techniques, which were far more advanced than the slash and 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.

Copyright Jim Rogers - provided as a special contribution to The Fenton Report

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[thoostorm4]

@leonelmynor go to taco bell

[TheOMARAMOR]

Yo soy chapin, lamentablemente no puedo decir que soy maya pues soy mulato de Livingstone pero me ciento con sangre Maya.

[1980vince]

ROME COPIED THE STEAM BATHS FOR THIS GREAT CIVILIZATION.REMEMBER THE SPANISH ROMAN EMPIRE INVADED THIS CIVILIZATION.

[RamosCreations]

Los q se averguenzan decir q vienen de los indigenas son los mas indios jajajajaa

[rayochapin]

@tulisverto Chistosito el man...!oh sea que vos sos del 5%, Hahahaha, casacas vos mira en mi canal baje una serie de videos referente a los Mayas, revisala a ver si te gusta, digo ya para que te pases al 95% no.? saludos vos

[blunklaura]

Muy interasante, gracias para este

[tulisverto]

no se por que se averguenzan nuestros compatriotas de ser descendientes de los indigenas a mucho orgullo llevamos sangre indigena  EN GUATEMALA EL 95 % DE LA POBLACION SOMOS DESCENDIENTES DE LOS INDIGENAS Y EL 5% POR CIENTO NO LO RECONOCEN """ JAJAJAJAJA

[leonelmynor]

@TheCathars que ridiculo eres.

[TheCathars]

in US English please !

[Smashkicker]

@thechapin208 No shit, sherlock.