Rising above the rain forest of remote northern Guatemala, the temples and palaces of Tikal are the most dramatic in the Maya world. With a population that may have reached 200,000 in A.D. 700, Tikal was one of the world’s greatest cities. Yet for all its glory and power, Tikal, like most of the southern Maya centers, inexplicably fell into ruins in the ninth century. The last date to be recorded was August 13, 869.
For more than a decade through the 1960s, the University of Pennsylvania Museum undertook a massive project to uncover and study the great monuments of Tikal. Employing up to 100 laborers plus numerous scholars and students, the Tikal Project reclaimed much of the ancient city center from the jungle. Author Peter D. Harrison was in charge of the excavations of the Central Acropolis. On Christmas Day 1969, the site was turned over to the Guatemalan government for public interpretation.
The Lords of Tikal is the first popular account to come out of the Tikal Project, and it ably details the 1,700-year history of the city. Drawing on a decade of excavation, plus many later developments, Harrison focuses on the succession of 31 kings that ruled the city for some 600 years. With recent developments in deciphering Maya hieroglyphics, a clearer picture is emerging of these rulers and the city’s history. Harrison connects rulers with architecture and major events in the city’s history, including its conquest and occupation by neighboring Caracol and its spectacular rebirth. Stories of palace intrigue add to an exciting picture of the Maya world.
Richly illustrated with maps, illustrations, and photographs, The Lords of Tikal is a must for all those interested in the Maya world. For the visitor to Tikal, a site that still lacks a good guidebook, it is essential. —Mark Michel
