Why was tikal deserted

The craters formed by extraction of stone were used as reservoirs. The main plazas were covered with stucco that was arranged on levels, so that rainwater was channeled into canals that fed into the reservoirs. A network of causeways connected different parts of the city. The Plaza of the Seven Temples. But main attraction on the site are the pyramidal structures. On the top of Pyramid I is the Temple of the Jaguar, which stands at feet high.

Pyramid II is feet high and is connected with the Temple of the Masks. Pyramid III is feet high. Pyramid IV is the highest pre-Columbian structure in Americas.

From the top of the pyramids, Mayan astronomers tracked the movements of the stars and planets. Temple II on the main plaza. It is one of the most visited locations on the Yucatan Peninsula. Giddy posted a primer on what causes the common cold and how to combat it and one of the expert sources they cited was Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine. Zach Fuchs incorporated his hobby of fixing up old pinball machines into his engineering courses and lab at the University of Cincinnati.

Fuchs, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, teaches two courses centered around pinball. Smithsonian: UC finds pollution in ancient Maya city. A multidisciplinary team found toxic mercury and cyanobacteria in reservoirs. By AD Tikal had been entirely abandoned.

How, and why, did a city that had existed for over 1, years suddenly disappear? Most researchers believe drought and deforestation were at the least contributing factors, but these are still just theories.

We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK". Sign Up. Travel Guides.

Videos Beyond Hollywood Hungerlust Pioneers of love. Selene Nelson. One grave unearthed by archaeologists contained roughly 20 pounds of powdered cinnabar. Nobody would have wanted to drink that water. Even without the poisoned drinking supply, losing the use of two huge water stores would have been devastating for Tikal. Prior research has identified a period of drought between and —a timeframe that corresponds with the layers of sediment in which the blue-green algae and mercury were found.