Who were the Maya?
The Mayan empire was compromised not by one nation, but rather a confederation of kingdoms or cities. Each regional power had autonomy and as such wars arose between these cities. According to text in the Palenque Museum, the archeological findings of the last few decades indicate that by the year 731 AD there were four major regional capitals in the Mayan Empire. These capitals were Palenque, Copan, Tikal, and Calakmul. A century later, Palenque and Copan entered their declining year. A few centuries later, the increasing push of the jungle overtook what once was a great civilization. Today, archeologists are working around the clock at times to uncover clues to help us better understand the Mayan Empire.


Temple of the Skull
Selva Lancandon
Palenque
Palenque