Harrison draws upon more than 30 years of excavation and research to summarize what is known to date about Tikal. Once one of the greatest cities in the world, Tikal was strategically located in the central region of the Maya lowlands and served as a major trade center and architectural style-setter. Over 3000 known surface structures exist, and as many as 10,000 ruined buildings and platforms may lie below the surface of the site. Recent discoveries in Maya archaeology include insights into the urban nature of the society and the agricultural methods used to support such a large population (possibly 200,000).

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Product Description

The ancient Maya capital of Tikal is located in the heartland of the Guatemalan rain forest. Occupied from about 800 b.c. to a.d. 800, it had at its peak a population of more than 100,000. Because of its strategic location, Tikal served as a center of trade and as an architectural style-setter for the central Peten region of the Maya Lowlands. The apogee of power and wealth was achieved under the reigns of three generations of the great Jaguar Claw clan, whose ruling lords--known as Hasaw Chan K'awil, Yik'in Chan K'awil, and Yax Ain--built the Great Temples that symbolize the character and individuality of the city. Some of these Great Temples served as mortuary structures, and the contents of the tombs hint at the richness of life as a lord of Tikal. Drawing upon more than twenty years of excavation and recent breakthroughs in the translation of Maya hieroglyphs, Peter Harrison offers a cogent, detailed summary of what is known to date of this romantic, mysterious city and its rulers.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #868166 in Books
• Published on: 1999-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

From Library Journal
Harrison draws upon more than 30 years of excavation and research to summarize what is known to date about Tikal. Once one of the greatest cities in the world, Tikal was strategically located in the central region of the Maya lowlands and served as a major trade center and architectural style-setter. Over 3000 known surface structures exist, and as many as 10,000 ruined buildings and platforms may lie below the surface of the site. Recent discoveries in Maya archaeology include insights into the urban nature of the society and the agricultural methods used to support such a large population (possibly 200,000). Harrison discusses breakthroughs in the translation of Maya glyphs, which continue to shed light on the history and politics of the city, and also considers reasons for its decline and fall. This book is recommended for its cogent style, treatment of recent advances in Maya studies, and fine photos and format. [History Book Club selection.]ASylvia Andrews, Indiana State Lib., Indianapoli.
-ASylvia Andrews, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Recommended for its cogent style...and fine photos. -- Library Journal

From the Author
Once a Lost City, Tikal was a New World capital. Like Ur of the Chaldees, and Thebes of Egypt, Tikal was a great city that dominated a large portion of the Maya Lowlands. It was the center of warfare, palace intrigues, and a magnificent royal court. This volume is the result of decades of excavation by archaeologists and epigraphers who suffered their blood, sweat and tears to research the history of this great New World capital. The results revealed the blood, sweat and tears of ancient kings and their story is told here. I suffered the adventure of fieldwork and loved the telling of the story. Peter D. Harrison (PeterAhau@AOL.com), September 16, 1999.

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Customer Reviews

better late than never
I visited Tikal last Feb. I had read about it for years and still wasn't prepared for the magnitude, the scope the complexity of the civilization it was a small part of--it is a place you have to visit and see for yourself to even begin to really grasp. When I got home I found this book--I really wish I had read this BEFORE I WENT, the trip would have been better for it. In any case, I was happy to read it after the trip. This is the single best work I've found for sharing part of what I discovered at Tikal with people who haven't been there. I recommend it--especially if you are considering a visit--but also if you just like to armchair travel...It is a nice place to go either way.

The Lords of Tikal
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It does for part of the Mayan world what much of the early work by epigraphers did for that of ancient Egypt in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The translation and interpretation of Mayan hieroglyphics is a recent phenomenon, occurring only within the last three decades. Through the efforts of dedicated researchers like Dr. Harrison, who excavated at the site of Tikal, and the late Linda Schele, who worked on Mayan hieroglyphics, a synthesis of the epigraphic material is only just beginning to reveal the story and characters of the Maya world for the enjoyment of the armchair enthusiast like myself. This work is definitely an illustration of what is likely to come from the fieldwork in the future.

An Intriguing History
I very much enjoyed this book. It presented the history, archaeology and architecture of Tikal in a clear fashion. Harrison wove the various threads of evidence together skillfully without getting bogged down in details. After an introduction to the site and its environment he proceeds in a chronologic order telling the history of this ancient city. He takes two breaks in his story to describe the city's architecture. Because there is dispute in the field of epigraphy you cannot take this book as the last word, but that is the nature of writing about something which is an intense subject of research. I must also say that I found some of Harrison's assertions about architectural alignments dubious. Certainly, I could not see how his maps could support all his claims. Nevertheless, I would heartily recommend this book.