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The Temple of the Great Jaguar Tikal

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  Location: Tikal, Guatemala (Continent of North America and in the region of Central America)
• Built by: The Maya built it for their ruler Jasaw Chan K’awiil I after his death for his tomb
• How long to build: About 32 years
• Date built: Around 732 A.D (about 1,300 years ago)
• Size: The temple is over 155 ft (47 m) tall, with nine tiers (levels) representing the nine levels of the underworld (the place you go after you die, for the Maya) making up the temple.
• After Jasaw died, his burial chamber was the first room to be made, and then the temple was built around it, with Jasaw carved on the top of the temple, sitting on a jaguar throne. When archaeologists entered the chamber, they found jade figures and jewelry, pearls, jaguar furs, rare shells, jugs, mirrors, and even human bones with other loyal leader’s names on them and his enemy’s names.
• The city of Tika was the capital and most powerful city of the Maya, and there were royal palaces, residential homes, schools, hospitals, shops and markets, sports arenas (they played a game like basketball), and other smaller temples, with over 3,000 buildings throughout the city.
• Maya Civilization ruled here and was one of the most influential cities from 200 to 900 A.D (about 1,800-1,100 years ago).
• There was a population of about 25,000 at its low point and as high as 100,000 people during its peak.
• The Maya are known for their calendar making, architecture, chocolate, rubber, their study of astronomy (study of the stars), and were terrific farmers.
• Historians think the Mayan empire collapsed because of war, overpopulation, drought, and illness.