Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tomb,knownasTumba116.CarriedofftoamuseuminBasel,Switzerland,isthedoorlin-
tel found at the top of the pyramid depicting a jaguar from which the temple gets its name.
It was once possible to climb Temple I, but this has not been allowed for several years
now. The view from the top was truly spectacular, with Temple II in the foreground and
the roof combs of Temples III and IV protruding from the jungle behind it. The structure
was closed to climbers partly because of damage caused by a chain aiding in this activity,
thoughthedeathofatleasttwovisitorsaftertumblingdownitssteepstepscertainlyputthe
finalnailinthecoffin.Theviewfromthetopwaspopularintourismpostersandbrochures
from the early 1980s and you can still sometimes see them in unexpected places.
Across the plaza stands the slightly smaller
Temple II,
built to honor Hasaw Chan
K'awil's wife, Lady 12 Macaw. Also known as the Temple of the Masks for the large,
severely eroded masks flanking its central staircase, it is thought to predate Temple I by a
few years. As recently as five years ago, a staircase was constructed on its side to allow
access to the top, though you could once climb directly up its central staircase. The view
fromthetopisstillasgoodasever,withafrontalviewofTempleIandtheNorthAcropol-
is off to the side. Temple II probably once stood at the same height as its counterpart when
its roof comb was intact, though its restored height is 38 meters (125 feet).
See
BALAM
The North Acropolis
Occupying the Great Plaza's northern end is the aptly named North Acropolis, its founda-
tions dating as far back as 100 B.C., though the 12 temples sitting atop this large structure
are part of a later rebuilding effort dating to A.D. 250. Some of these earlier structures can
beseentodaythankstoatunnelexcavatedbyarchaeologiststhatprovidesaglimpseoftwo
giant masks from Early Classic times guarding the entrance to a still-buried temple. The
remains of Yax Nuun Ayin I, the first of Tikal's rulers under Teotihuacán hegemony, were
found buried here in 1959 and revealed many details of Teotihuacán influence, including
ceramics and the dreaded atlatl.
Some much-eroded stelae line the front of the North Acropolis. These depicted Tikal's
ruling elite and many have been subjected to ritual defacement at the hands of invaders
from neighboring states such as Calakmul.
The Central Acropolis
Commonly referred to as palaces, this complex of interconnecting rooms and stairways
built around courtyards probably housed administrative offices and residences for Tikal's
elite, though their exact use is uncertain. It occupies the south end of the Great Plaza. It is
knownthattheconfigurationofthevariousroomswasalteredfrequently,lendingcredence
to the idea that it served as a royal dwelling place for the ruling elite. One part of the ac-
