Chicomoztoc: The Birthplace of the Aztec
Chicomoztoc is the fabled birthplace of the Seven Tribes of Mexico, a legend predominantly passed down from the Aztec that demonstrates they were related to their rivals of Central Mexico.
Map of Mayan Cities and Maya Ruins
This beautiful map of Mayan cities shows all the major ancient cities and the extent of the Mayan Territories (the Mundo Maya).
Tikal: A Brief History
Tikal was the most powerful city in the Mayan territories during the Classic Period, but its monuments might suggest that Teotihuacan was inspiration and power behind its success…
Tikal: The Temple of the Skulls
The Temple of Skulls takes its name from three stucco skulls which were added, along with a curious niche, in the early 8th century…
Tikal: Group G – The Acanaladuras Palace
Tikal Group G is known as the Acanaladuras Palace because of its unusual pseudo-column façade and dates to the reign of Jasaw Chan K’awiil, c.734AD.
Mesoamerican Steam Baths
The temascal, or temazcalli, was a Mesoamerican steam house which was used to relax and cleanse and was frequently used in medicine.
Tikal: Temple of Inscriptions (Templo VI)
Templo VI is known as the Temple of Inscriptions because of a series of events listed on its roof comb, dating back to 1143BC…
Tikal: Templo 5D-33
Temple 5D-33 was controversially ripped down in the ’60s, but revealed an early structure that may link it to Teotihuacan…
Tikal: The Temple of the Masks (Templo II)
Templo II is known as the Temple of the Masks due to a pair of masks which flank the stairway, but it is actually a mausoleum for King Jasaw Chan K’awiil I’s wife.
Tikal: Temple of the Jaguar (Templo I)
Templo I is the resting place of one of Tikal’s greatest rulers,Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, who defeated their arch-rivals, Calakmul, and brought Tikal back to prominence…
Tikal
Hidden in the rainforests of Guatemala, Tikal was once at the heart of the Mayan Civilisation. Today it is a magical destination for both its natural environment and amazing ruins.
Tikal: The Talud-Tablero Temple (5C-49)
Structure 5D-47 stands out due to its talud-tablero style of construction – a style that belongs at Teotihuacan, 1000 miles away…
Tikal: The Great Pyramid (5C-54)
The Great Pyramid is one of the tallest and oldest structures at Tikal and sits at the heart of the Mundo Perdido complex…
Guatemala
With its craggy hills covered in dense rain-forest in which hide the ancient ruins of the Mayan civilisation, Gautemala is an amazing place to visit…
Mesoamerican Caritas Sonrientes
The “Caritas Sonrientes”, or “Smiley Faces”, stand out on account of their smiling faces, an emotion seldom seen in the artwork of Mesoamerica.
Villahermosa – Museo Regional de Antropología
The Museo Regional de Antropología Carlos Pellicer Cámara is home to 770 pieces of ancient artwork, some of which were defining moments in Mesoamerican art history.
The Olmec: The Children of the Were-Jaguar
Many discussions on the enigmatic Olmec revolve around the huge African-looking heads, but could it be the mysterious “were-jaguar” that holds the key to who they were?
Mesoamerican Wheeled Toys
It was thought Mesoamerican cultures had failed to invent the wheel, leading many to call them primitive; but these wheeled “toys” seem to prove quite the opposite.