TIKAL NATIONAL PARK GUATEMALATikal was a dominating influence in the southern Maya lowlands throughout most of the Early Classic. The site, however, was often at war and inscriptions tell of alliances and conflict with other Maya states, including Uaxactun, Caracol, Dos Pilas, Naranjo, and Calakmul.
The site was defeated at the end of the Early Classic by Caracol, which rose to take Tikal's place as the paramount center in the southern Maya lowlands. It appears another defeat was suffered at the hands of Dos Pilas during the middle 7th century, with the possible capture and sacrifice of Tikal's ruler at the time (Sharer 1994:265).
Tikal Hiatus
The "Tikal hiatus" refers to a period between the late 6th to late 7th century where there was a lapse in the writing of inscriptions and large-scale construction at Tikal. This hiatus in activity at Tikal was long unexplained until later epigraphic decipherments identified that the period was prompted by Tikal's comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Caracol polity in A.D. 562 after six years of warfare against an alliance of Calakmul, Dos Pilas and Naranjo.
The hiatus at Tikal lasted up to the ascension of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I (Ruler A) in A.D. 682. In A.D. 695, Yukno’m Yich’Aak K’ahk’ of Calakmul (Kanal), was defeated by the new ruler of Tikal, Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, Nu’n U Jol Chaak’s heir. This defeat of Calakmul restored Tikal’s preeminence in the Central Maya region, but never again in the southwest Petén, where Dos Pilas maintained its presence.
The beginning of the Tikal hiatus has served as a marker by which archaeologists commonly sub-divide the Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology into the Early and Late Classic
Modern History
As is often the case with huge ancient ruins, knowledge of the site was never completely lost in the region. Some second- or third-hand accounts of Tikal appeared in print starting in the 17th century, continuing through the writings of John Lloyd Stephens in the early 19th century (Stephens and his illustrator Frederick Catherwood heard rumors of a lost city, with white building tops towering above the jungle, during their 1839-40 travels in the region).
Due to the site's remoteness from modern towns, however, no explorers visited Tikal until Modesto Méndez and Ambrosio Tut visited it in 1848. Several other expeditions came to further investigate, map, and photograph Tikal in the 19th century (including Alfred P. Maudslay in 1881-82) and the early 20th century.
In 1951, a small airstrip was built at the ruins, which previously could only be reached by several days’ travel through the jungle on foot or mule. From 1956 through 1970, major archeological excavations were made by the University of Pennsylvania. In 1979, the Guatemalan government began a further archeological project at Tikal, which continues to this day.
Popular Culture
* Tikal was used as background scenery of the Rebel base on Yavin 4 in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
* The character Tikal the Echidna from the videogame Sonic Adventure is named after the ruins, and several areas in the game are designed based on the ruins.
* Tikal is a level of the game of Fantastic Four
* Tikal is the name of a board game by Rio Grande Games.
* The song Temple of the Cat by musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen makes reference to the Jaguar Temple and the city of Tikal. Samples on the song come from a Maya festival.
* Tikal appears in the videogame Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis.
* Tikal is the title of second song on E.S. Posthumus' album Unearthed.
* One of the Temples of Tikal features as a Wonder in the computer game Rise of Nations.
* Tikal appears as exterior of Drax's pyramid headquarters in the Amazon rainforest in Moonraker (film).
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/