Photography: mayan-ruins.org
From the Capitol Building to the Eiffel Tower, architectural icons are often copied and transposed from one culture to the next. But a new archaeological find in Guatemala proves this is far from a ‘modern’ form of flattery.
Archaeologists working in the ruined Mayan city of Tikal, in the country’s northern Petén region, have discovered a building complex that’s in a surprisingly similar style to the ancient city of Teotihuacan – located more than 800 miles away, near Mexico City.
Researchers first identified the site using LiDAR, and when archaeologists excavated they discovered a pyramid and set of structures in a markedly different design to the rest of Tikal. The complex appeared to be a small replica of the Citadel at Teotihuacan, with further excavations revealing ceramics and weapons also typical of Teotihuacan.
The find forwards the notion that the relationship between the two cities was far closer than previously thought, with some researchers suggesting it’s evidence of a similar kind of cultural melting pot found in many of today’s cities. Researchers also hope the building and its contents could help explain the Mayans and Teotihuacans’ explosive falling out in 378.
