Quirigua Archaeological Park

The Mayan archaeological park of Quirigua is located in Guatemala's Izabal department, only a few kilometers from the main highway from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios. Quirigua is situated in the valley of the Motagua River, between the slopes of the Sierra de las Minas and the rugged Montaña Espiritu Santo, and surrounded by a sea of banana plantations.

Quirigua Archaeological Park is famous for its intricately carved stelae and zoomorphs.

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Quirigua is one of the smaller Mayan sites, but also one of the most notable due to the artistry of its stelae, which Mayan rulers during the Classic Period commissioned to commemorate important political and dynastic events. Nowadays, the temples and palaces lie in ruins around the pleasant green park that once was the great plaza of Quirigua and archaeologists are only now piecing them back together.

Quirigua features a total of 22 carved stelae and zoomorphs (large boulders carved to represent animals and covered with figures and glyphs), which are among the finest examples of classic Mayan stone carvings. Unlike other Mayan cities, which for the most part used limestone, monuments in Quirigua are made of sandstone, which has survived the millennium since the end of the Classic Period surprisingly well. Even though the Maya did not have any metal tools and only used stone chisels driven by other stones or wooden mallets, they still achieved a remarkable degree of naturalism and refined detail.

The beginnings of the city of Quirigua are hazy and very little is know about the time before the Pre-Classic Period. It is generally accepted that the site was occupied by AD 200 and construction on the acropolis began around 550. Due to Quirigua's strategic location in the valley of the Motagua River, some historians believe that the area may have been settled as early as 1500 BC.

The stelae in Quirigua are up to 10 m (33 ft) high, making them the tallest stelae in the entire Mayan world.

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For most of the Classic Period, Quirigua was apparently ruled by an offshoot of the ruling dynasty of Copan. Quirigua was Copan's most important dependency, securing Copan's access to the Motagua River and the trade routes connecting it to the rest of the Mayan world.

For reasons which are still unclear, Quirigua's relationship with Copan deteriorated under the rule of Cauac Sky and the two cities went to war in 738. Quirigua's forces under Cauac Sky defeated those of Copan under 18 Rabbit, who was taken captive and executed on the central plaza of Quirigua.

While the defeat had catastrophic consequences for Copan, sending it into a tailspin it never really recovered from, Quirigua moved quickly to become an autonomous city and assume Copan's former position as the dominant regional power. The victory prompted an unprecedented building boom during which the entire west side of the acropolis was redone and a new ball court was built.

Quirigua's glory faded quickly, however. As the Mayan culture went into decline in the early 9th century and city after city was abandoned, Quirigua could not stem the tide and suffered the same fate. No new buildings were constructed after AD 850 and it is assumed that the city had been completely abandoned by the year 900.

The reason for the city's demise remain under debate. Most likely a combination of wars and overpopulation with the resulting depletion of natural resources was a major factor. It was also suggested that an earthquake dealt Quirigua the final blow, but evidence remains sketchy.

Quirigua was first described in modern times by John Lloyd Stephens, who visited the site in 1839 and mentioned it in his travelogue Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and the Yucatan . Stephens tried to purchase the site and ship the monuments to New York, but local landowners demanded too high a price and the deal was never closed.

Between 1881 and 1885, British anthropologist Alfred Maudslay made a thorough exploration of the ruins, taking photographs of all visible monuments, making minor excavations and taking paper and plaster molds of all inscriptions and most important sculptures. The molds were later shipped to the British Museum in London.

The ruins of Quirigua have been beautifully restored and are well worth a visit!

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In 1910, the United Fruit Company bought a large chunk of the Motagua valley, including the ruins of Quirigua, to set up banana plantations. Fortunately, United Fruit recognized the significance of the ruins and established an archaeological park around it, taking great pains to protect the site from looters, and organized the first major excavations through the Archaeological Institute of America.

From 1910 to 1914 Edgar Lee Hewitt did major explorations for the School of American Research at Santa Fe, and the Carnegie Institution conducted several research projects between 1915 and 1934.

A large-scale research and restoration project began in 1975. This project has continued to this day and is sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, the National Geographic Society and the government of Guatemala.

Tikal Archaeological Park

Tikal is Guatemala's most famous and also most impressive Mayan archaeological site. Continously settled for more than 1500 years, Tikal was abandoned around the year 900 AD for reasons not yet fully understood.

During the Classic Period from 250 to 900 AD Tikal was one of the most important and powerful Mayan cities.

Tikal National Park was created in 1958 and covers 222 square miles amid the thick tropical jungle of El Peten. UNESCO declared Tikal a World Cultural Heritage site in 1979. It is regarded as one of the most important cultural and natural reserves in the world.

The easiest access to the park is by air. It is just a 40-minute flight from Guatemala City to the airport of Santa Elena. From there you can reach Tikal by bus in 45 minutes over an excellent highway.

There are more than 4000 structures in Tikal. The oldest date from the pre-classic period (800 BC) and the most recent from the post-classic period (900 AD). It was during this period that the Maya attained their artistic, architectural, mathematical, agricultural and commercial heights.

The most important plazas and temples in Tikal National Park are:

The most spectacular structure in Tikal is the plaza surrounded by stelae and sculptured altars, ceremonial buildings, residential and administrative palaces, and a ball court. At opposite ends of the plaza loom the temple of the Great Jaguar and Temple II.

Located on the eastern side of the Great Plaza, it is more than 150 feet high. The temple was erected around 700 AD by order of Ah Cacao, whose tomb was discovered inside.

This temple stands at the western end of the Great Plaza and rises to a height of 120 feet. It was also consturcted by Ah cacao around 700 AD.

Rising to 180 feet, and located west of Temple II, it was constructed around 810 AD. It has a carved lintel, almost intact, depicting a central character clothed in Jaguar skin.

The temple pyramids and plazas have been restored in an ongoing exploration and restoration project and are now surrounded by a beautifully landscaped archaeological park.

At 212 feet, this is the highest standing structure inTikal. It was built around 470 AD by Yaxkin Caan Chac.

Constructed around 750 AD and located south of the Great Plaza. This temple is close to 190 feet high.

It is located south of the Mendez Causeway. The roof comb containsd the longest hieroglyphic recording to date. It is estimated that the construction date was around 766 AD. It is believed to have been built under the rule of Yaxkin Caan Chac, but the inscription was added during the reign of Chitam. Stela 21 and Altar 9 are located at the base of the temple.

Located sothwest of the Great Plaza, this area features the largest pyramid at Tikal. It is approximaletely 100 feet hight and together with the structures to the west, forms part of an astronomical complex. To the south is the group called "Great Masks."

Located east of the Great Pyramid, it is formed by ceremonial structures of the post-classic period. A palace with five doors, from the pre-classic period, can be seen covered up and used as the foundation for another building constructed during the post-clasic period. Building structures on top of older ones was a common practice with the Maya.