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Tical,
Guatemala
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Maya Indians, 600 BC to 900 AD, 222 square miles
In the heart of the jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one
of the major sites of Mayan civilization, inhabited from the 6th century
B.C. to the 10th century A.D. Its ceremonial centre contains superb temples
and palaces, and ramps leading to public squares. Remains of dwellings
are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside.
The
park's main attraction is the ruined city of the Maya Indians reflecting
the cultural evolution of Mayan society from hunter- gathering to farming,
with an elaborate religious, artistic and scientific culture which finally
collapsed in the late 9th century. There are over 3,000 separate
buildings dating from the period 600 BC to 900 AD, including temples,
residences, religious monuments decorated with hyeroglyphic inscriptions
and tombs. Excavations have yielded remains of cotton,
tobacco, beans, pumpkins, peppers and many fruits of Precolumbian origin.
Large areas are still to be excavated.
UNESCO Tikal National
Park
WCMC
Tikal National Park
UNESCO
World Heritage Site 1979
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Last update on 5/11/97.