Middle to Late Classic Tikal

Ancient Civilizations of the Americas

Lecture 14

• 556 AD Tikal initiates an “axe war” against its former client kingdom Caracol.

• AD 562 Caracol retaliates against Tikal with a “star war.” This event marks the beginning of the 130 year hiatus during which there are no dated monuments from Tikal (except Pyramid V?).

• AD 648 A disaffected group of Tikal nobility under B’alaj Chan K’awiil flees west and founds Dos Pilas.

• AD 672 Tikal defeats Dos Pilas in a “star war.”

• AD 695 Jasaw Chan K’awiil defeats Calakmul. He and his son Yik’in Chan K’awiil undertakes massive building projects.

Temple 5D-43

Temple V c. 700 AD

An unrestored pyramid, stela, and altar

Stela 16 and Altar 5Portrait of Jasaw Chan Kawiil I 711 AD – Father of Yik’in

Altar 5

King Jasaw Chan Kawiil I moving the bones of his mother from Masaal. 711 AD.

Temple I North Acropolis Mortuary Temple of Jasaw Chan Kawiil

Temple II Tikal Built by Jasaw Chan Kawiil for his wife Kalajuun Une’ Mo

Temple IV Built by Yax Kin (Yik’in) Chan K’awiil

Temple IV commemorates the reign of Yik’in Chan Kawiil. It was built c. 741 AD.

Lintel 3

Temple at complex P – surviving wooden lintels 751 AD

At the base of the platform of complex P

Altar 7 with head of Kawiil and mat

• Stela 22 and altar 10 771 AD

• Portrait of Chitam, the last ruler to have commissioned a text at Tikal

Tikal’s declineThe decline of Tikal begins c. 810 AD.

AD 859 Centers formerly under Tikal’s domination set up stela honoring their own rulers.

AD 869 Jasaw Chan K’awiil II erects the last monument, marking him as the last king.

The most viable explanation for the collapse is overpopulation, leading to deforestation, soil erosion and nutrient loss.