The massive ruins of a Mayan city in Tikal, Guatemala*

*WS 66: The massive ruins of a Mayan city in Tikal, Guatemala*

Tikal, located in northern Guatemala, is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the Mayan civilization. It probably started in the 4th century BC and lasted until the 10th century. The Tikal National Park covers a huge area of 570 sq km and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city itself has an area of 16 sq km and ruins of 3,000 structures were mapped. We were here in 2013.

The 1st photo shows the well kept Complex Q, while the 2nd shows the 30-m high Great Pyramid of the Lost World, one of the most massive structures in the Mayan World. The 3rd shows part of the Great Plaza at the city centre and 4th one of several giant (about 3-m high) stucco masks found at the plaza. The 5th shows the back view of Temple I, 47 m high with the body of a king entombed here in the 730s. The 6th shows tourists near the top of Temple IV, the tallest temple at 70 m.

The last 2 photos show the Ceiba, the national tree of Guatemala. It is a leafy and shady tree with its long branches. Found in many of the plazas of the Mayan civilization to provide shade. Ceiba has many species, shown one with spikes on the trunk. A Ceiba stick is a lethal weapon.

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