When Was Tikal Built?
The first settlers came to Tikal in South America during the 10th century BC. They were primarily involved in agricultural activities. Construction, on a major scale, began around 3rd or 4th century BC and by the 3rd century AD Tikal, along with Calakmul, was the core of the heartland of the early Mayan civilization. Although the city remained a major cultural and commercial centre till the end of Mayan Civilization, this fact could not give the city peace. It was constantly at war with either one state or another. Mayan hieroglyphics shed light on ally states and foe states. By the 9th century AD, the Maya’s constant warring amongst each other had reached unsustainable proportions. A lot of people escaping from the war chose to live in Tikal. This put pressure on the city’s limited natural resources. Crops failed and the city was lost to history.
The Mayan name of the city was ‘ti ak’al’ in the language of the Maya; it means ‘at the waterhole’ or ‘the place of the voices’. The city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was home to somewhere between 10,000 to 90,000 people. Tikal is located in Guatemala and it is 303 kilometers north of the capital Guatemala City. Archeologists’ studies show that the city covered about 16 square kilometers and limestone was the predominant building material. The city dwellers had built reservoirs to harvest rain water. The city was abandoned around in the tenth century and it was ruled by dynastic rulers. The forests around the ancient city are declared ‘Tikal National Park’.
