Sites and Cities of Maya Civilization

Throughout the development of their civilisation, the Maya people constructed numerous towns. Every single significant city operated as a city-state, ruling over its surrounding regions. Unlike the towns of the Aztecs, Maya cities were not meticulously planned. Over time, they tended to spread outward from the core. However, the central complexes do seem to have been planned, with many of the buildings constructed with the sun in mind.

The local king was the ruler of each city, and he resided in a palace there. Large pyramids that served as temples for their gods were also found there. Cities were typically situated close to trade routes and productive agriculture.

El Mirador

One of the earliest sizable city-states of the Maya civilisation was El Mirador. At its busiest, the city was home to nearly 100,000 people. The city’s central area was ten square miles in size and contained more than a thousand structures. Three substantial temple pyramids have been discovered by archaeologists: El Tigre (180 feet tall), Los Monos (157 feet tall), and La Danta (250 feet tall). According to volume, the La Danta temple is regarded as one of the world’s biggest pyramids.

From the sixth century BC until the first century AD, El Mirador flourished. It peaked about the third century BC. Archaeologists believe that the city was abandoned around 150 AD, and that after several hundred years, around 700 AD, people moved back in.

Kaminaljuyu

In the Guatemalan highlands’ Southern Mayan Area, Kaminaljuyu was a significant city-state. The city was inhabited from 1200 BC to 900 AD for almost 2000 years. The settlement served as a significant trading hub for goods like cacao, fruits, pottery, and obsidian.

Tikal

During the Classic era of Maya history, Tikal rose to become one of the most influential city-states ever. There were thousands of buildings throughout the enormous city, including six huge pyramids. With a height of more than 230 feet, Temple IV is the tallest pyramid. Between 60,000 and 70,000 people lived in the city during its busiest.

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan was a significant city-state in the Valley of Mexico at the time of the Maya civilization, however it wasn’t necessarily a Maya city-state. It was so potent that during the Classic era, it affected Maya politics, trade, and culture.

Caracol

The mighty city-state of Tikal served as a client state to Caracol at first. It was situated in Belize’s Cayo District, which is where it is now. Around the year 600 AD, Caracol seceded from Tikal and established itself as a significant city-state. The present-day capital of Belize is substantially smaller than the city was during its height. It was roughly 200 square kilometers in size and may have housed up to 188,000 people.

Chichen Itza

The Maya city-state of Chichen Itza dominated both the end of the Classic and the Post-Classic periods. Numerous well-known buildings reside there, including:

El Castillo –
A temple and pyramid dedicated to the Maya deity Kukulkan. It stands 98 feet or so tall.

Great Ball Court –
The Great Ball Court is the largest of several ball courts in Chichen Itza, measuring 551 feet long by 230 feet broad. The court’s walls stand 26 feet tall on either side. Jaguar temples have been incorporated into the court’s side.

The Warriors’ Temple
This temple is a huge pyramid with four levels, each with a magnificent temple on top. Around 200 columns that were once covered by a roof system on two sides of the temple date back to the Maya era.

Facts Worth Knowing About Maya Cities and Sites

Today, one can still visit several of these cities. Some of them, like Tikal and Chichen Itza, are included as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Every year, about 1.2 million people go to Chichen Itza.

At least thirteen distinct ball courts have been discovered by archaeologists in the Chichen Itza city.

The Maya city-states of Coba, Uxmal, Mayapan, Tulum, Palenque, and Kabah are among the other significant ones.
Palenque was formerly referred to as the “Red City” because to the color of all of its structures.

The monarchs of Tikal are well-known, and some of their intriguing names, including Jaguar Paw, Curl Head, Shield Skull, and Double Bird, are also well-known. A number of times, women controlled the city.