Tikal Temple V
Encyclopedia
Tikal Temple V is the name given by archaeologists to one of the major pyramids at Tikal
. Tikal is one of the most important archaeological sites of the pre-Columbian
Maya civilization
and is located in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala
.
Temple V stands south of the Central Acropolis and is the mortuary pyramid of an as yet unidentified ruler of the once great city. The temple stands 57 metres (187 ft) high, making it the second tallest structure at Tikal—only Temple IV
is taller. The temple has been dated to about AD 700, in the Late Classic
period, via radiocarbon analysis
and the dating of ceramics associated with the structure places its construction during the reign of Nun Bak Chak in the second half of the 7th century.
The architectural
style of the pyramid includes features that were popular during the Early Classic
period, such as wide ballustrades flanking the main stairway and the rounded corners of the temple. These features indicate the continued influence of earlier traditions.
and the South Acropolis. In front of the artificial platform supporting the temple structure is a depression that was used as one of the city's reservoir
s.
By the Late Classic
, access to the temple was severely limited by the reservoir immediately to the north, by the South Acropolis to the west, by a palace complex to the east and by a natural depression in the terrain to the south. All of the other main temples at Tikal were linked to the city's network of causeways
but Temple V was an exception. This may indicate that it had already been abandoned by the Late Classic and fallen into disrepair, possibly explaining Temple V's poor state of preservation when compared to the other principal temples in the city.
The pyramid sits upon a platform that is 5 metres (16.4 ft) higher than the level of the Central Plaza. The platform was built by constructing a system of compartments with sloping megalith
ic walls reinforced with vertical interior retaining wall
s, these compartments were filled with alternating layers of compacted earth and stone. This leveled off the natural terrain and allowed the platform to support the massive weight of the temple.
The base of the pyramid covers an area of approximately 2050 square metres (22,066 sq ft). The pyramid base measures 36 metres (118.1 ft) north-south by 36 metres (118.1 ft) east-west. The temple rises in seven 4 metres (13.1 ft) high stepped levels with inset rounded corners, the curve having a radius
of 3 metres (9.8 ft). Temple V is unique in this respect, with no other major temple at Tikal having rounded corners, although similar corners are known from a triadic temple
at Caracol
in Belize
. The main body of the pyramid appears to have originally supported decorated mouldings although surviving examples have only been found at the corners of the building.
The main stairway measures 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide and rises from the north, unusually for Tikal where most of the larger temples face east or west. The stairway of the pyramid projects over 12 metres (39.4 ft) from the pyramid base and has about 90 steps; the balustrades of the stairway are 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) wide and rise the whole height of the stairs. At Tikal this is a feature that is usually found in buildings dating to the Early Classic.
The shrine at the top of the pyramid contains a single room of small size, measuring only 90 centimetres (35.4 in) deep, while the rear wall behind this tiny room measures 4.57 metres (15 ft) thick. The room is 3.95 metres (13 ft) wide and 4.4 metres (14.4 ft) high. This room is the smallest room of any shrine at Tikal and is the only example from the larger temples that contains only one room. Above the room are three sealed vaulted
chambers, the function of which is to reduce the overall weight of the structure. The shrine still contains the original wooden lintels. The cornice
of the shrine is decorated on the north side with three masks of the rain god Chaac
and with frames containing human figures on the sides.
The temple is topped by a large roof comb
measuring 12.5 metres (41 ft) high. The weight of the roof comb is lessened by 11 or 12 vaulted voids. It consists of four stepped sections, although very little remains of the top section, and the surviving three sections were decorated with eight masks. The north side of the lower section displays a very large mask of Chaac; this is flanked by two masks occupying the corners of the roof comb that represent the Maya sun god.
Offering 1 was found when a test pit was sunk into the basal platform immediately to the north of the pyramid's main stairway. It consisted of two ceramic basins placed rim-to-rim one on top of the other. Inside were found an earthenware
bowl and a small ceramic vessel and three shells that had been perforated to use as jewellery. The finds were all dated to the Early Classic, although they appeared to be in a Late Classic context.
Offering 2 was interred under the north-south axis of the pyramid and appears to be a dedicatory offering before construction began. It consists of five used incense burners associated with evidence of the burning of wood and incense. Two of the incense burners are cylindrical with applied masks of the sun god, with traces of red and blue paint, this were placed on either side of three effigy incense burners shaped like human figures. All are dated to the Late Classic.
Burial 1 was found interred under two unworked stones only 60 centimetres (23.6 in) north of Offering 1. It consisted of the skeleton of an adolescent human female aged approximately 15 years placed in a fetal position, facing to the west. Her teeth had been perforated for decorative purposes. She appeared to have died from a systemic infection
that may have originated in an abscess
in one of her teeth. An earthenware bowl was placed by her right knee. The burial was dated to the Late Classic.
Burial 2 was discovered when archaeologists tunneled underneath the pyramid itself. The burial was interred in a cist
with two ceramic vessels placed covering the top. The cist was carved directly from the bedrock and, unusually, it was capped with planks of wood rather than the usual stone slabs. These planks were inserted into slots, indicating that they were 1.35 metres (4.4 ft) long and 20 centimetres (7.9 in) thick. The cist itself measured 0.5 by by 0.35 metres (1.1 ft) deep. The cist was not located under the central axis of the pyramid but rather under the central axis of the summit shrine, indicating that the builders had detailed paper
construction plans providing precise measurements, allowing them to calculate exactly where to bury the deceased. The burial was accompanied by funerary offerings that included an earthenware bowl containing a ceramic incense burner that were placed on top of the wooden lid closing the cist.
The remains were those of a young adult male, between 18 and 22 years of age. His height was calculated from an intact femur
as 1.62 metres (5.3 ft), which is 5 centimetres (2 in) taller than the average for an adult male in the Late Classic. The skull of the deceased was elongated, having been subject to artificial cranial deformation
and his teeth had been filed and perforated. Any decoration inserted into the perforations of the upper jaw had fallen out but the lower canines
still contained pyrite
incrustations. He appeared to have enjoyed general good health during his life except for a bout of childhood anemia
. The bones had been disarticulated before burial and many of the smaller bones were missing, for instance some bones from the hands and the spine. In the opinion of the excavator it is unlikely that the remains were those of a human sacrifice
specifically in order to dedicate the temple since there were few signs of cutmarks on the bones.
Burial 2 is believed to have been interred after the artificial leveling of the terrain and prior to the construction of the pyramid itself. The cist contained ashes at the bottom and small fragments of carbon
, evidence of a ritual performed before the human remains were deposited inside and the pyramid was built. On top of this was deposited a 2 inches (5.1 cm) layer of brown dust that is believed to be all that remains of a wooden box used to contain the human remains. The date of burial is estimated as AD 600–650, based on the accompanying ceramics and is not believed to be that of a ruler due to the relatively poor offering accompanying it.
Investigating archaeologist Oswaldo Gómez has theorized that the temple was dedicated to the rain god Chaac, or was the funerary monument of a ruler who greatly venerated Chaac, based upon the presence of six large Chaac masks upon the roof comb and the placement of the temple with its unusual northward orientation facing directly onto the greatest source of water in the city.
. Due to its poor preservation and its continuing decay, in 1987 Temple V was included on a list of planned works by the Proyecto Nacional Tikal.
Temple V was the first temple to be discovered by Modesto Méndez, the governor of Petén, on the first expedition to the ruins. From a reexamination of Méndez' account, it appears he climbed the pyramid on 26 February 1848 and was able to discern the other major temples from its summit.
Alfred P. Maudslay
visited Tikal in 1881 and photographed the north face of Temple V, which he denominated as Temple D. He also briefly described the interior of the summit shrine. Teoberto Maler
arrived at the ruins in 1894 and it was he who renamed the pyramid as Great Temple V. Maudslay also wrote a fuller description of the structure. Both Maudslay and Maler had the pyramid cleared of vegetation during their investigations. Alfred Tozzer
arrived at the site in 1911 and surveyed the ruins, he was the first to record the temple simply as Temple V. After Tozzer's visit the rainforest was allowed to reclaim the structure.
In 1965 Christopher Jones of the University of Pennsylvania
carried out investigations at the base of the stairway in an unsuccessful search for two monuments reported by Teoberto Maler in the 19th century. A few years later, in 1968, Miguel Orrego carried out further investigations of the temple. In 1987 and again in 1991 rescue work was undertaken upon the roof comb
by the Proyecto Nacional Tikal to repair damage caused by a hole that allowed visitors to climb through onto the crest of the building. Further investigations of the temple were started in November 1995 by Oswaldo Gómez.
Tikal
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala...
. Tikal is one of the most important archaeological sites of the pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian era
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
Maya civilization
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
and is located in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
.
Temple V stands south of the Central Acropolis and is the mortuary pyramid of an as yet unidentified ruler of the once great city. The temple stands 57 metres (187 ft) high, making it the second tallest structure at Tikal—only Temple IV
Tikal Temple IV
Tikal Temple IV is a Mesoamerican pyramid in the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Tikal in modern Guatemala. It was one of the tallest and most voluminous buildings in the Maya world. The pyramid was built around 741 AD. Temple IV is located at the western edge of the site core...
is taller. The temple has been dated to about AD 700, in the Late Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
period, via radiocarbon analysis
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
and the dating of ceramics associated with the structure places its construction during the reign of Nun Bak Chak in the second half of the 7th century.
The architectural
Maya architecture
A unique and spectacular style, Maya architecture spans several thousands of years. Often the most dramatic and easily recognizable as Maya are the stepped pyramids from the Terminal Pre-classic period and beyond. Being based on the general Mesoamerican architectural traditions these pyramids...
style of the pyramid includes features that were popular during the Early Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
period, such as wide ballustrades flanking the main stairway and the rounded corners of the temple. These features indicate the continued influence of earlier traditions.
Location
Temple V is located in the southern part of Tikal's site core, upon an east-west ridge that also supports the Lost Word complex, the Plaza of the Seven TemplesPlaza of the Seven Temples
The Plaza of the Seven Temples is an architectural complex in the ruins of the Maya city of Tikal, in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala. It is to the south of Temple III and to the west of the South Acropolis; it is to the southwest of the Great Plaza...
and the South Acropolis. In front of the artificial platform supporting the temple structure is a depression that was used as one of the city's reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s.
By the Late Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
, access to the temple was severely limited by the reservoir immediately to the north, by the South Acropolis to the west, by a palace complex to the east and by a natural depression in the terrain to the south. All of the other main temples at Tikal were linked to the city's network of causeways
Sacbe
right|thumb|Sacbe at Dzibilchaltun in the Yucatánthumb|right|Arch at the end of the sacbé, Kabah, YucatánSacbe, plural Sacbeob, or "white ways" are raised paved roads built by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica...
but Temple V was an exception. This may indicate that it had already been abandoned by the Late Classic and fallen into disrepair, possibly explaining Temple V's poor state of preservation when compared to the other principal temples in the city.
The structure
| Section | Section Height |
|---|---|
| Base Platform | 3.7 m (12.1 ft) |
| 1st section | 3.96 m (13 ft) |
| 2nd section | 4.41 m (14.5 ft) |
| 3rd section | 4.4 m (14.4 ft) |
| 4th section | 4.35 m (14.3 ft) |
| 5th section | 4.3 m (14.1 ft) |
| 6th section | 4.24 m (13.9 ft) |
| 7th section | 3.3 m (10.8 ft) |
| shrine | 9 m (29.5 ft) |
| roof comb | 12.5 m (41 ft) |
The pyramid sits upon a platform that is 5 metres (16.4 ft) higher than the level of the Central Plaza. The platform was built by constructing a system of compartments with sloping megalith
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
ic walls reinforced with vertical interior retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
s, these compartments were filled with alternating layers of compacted earth and stone. This leveled off the natural terrain and allowed the platform to support the massive weight of the temple.
The base of the pyramid covers an area of approximately 2050 square metres (22,066 sq ft). The pyramid base measures 36 metres (118.1 ft) north-south by 36 metres (118.1 ft) east-west. The temple rises in seven 4 metres (13.1 ft) high stepped levels with inset rounded corners, the curve having a radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
of 3 metres (9.8 ft). Temple V is unique in this respect, with no other major temple at Tikal having rounded corners, although similar corners are known from a triadic temple
Triadic pyramid
Triadic pyramids are a Preclassic Maya civilization innovation consisting of a dominant structure flanked by two smaller inward-facing buildings, all mounted upon a single basal platform...
at Caracol
Caracol
Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site, located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. It is situated approximately 40 kilometres south of Xunantunich and the town of San Ignacio Cayo, and 15 kilometers away from the Macal River. It rests on the Vaca Plateau at...
in Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. The main body of the pyramid appears to have originally supported decorated mouldings although surviving examples have only been found at the corners of the building.
The main stairway measures 20 metres (65.6 ft) wide and rises from the north, unusually for Tikal where most of the larger temples face east or west. The stairway of the pyramid projects over 12 metres (39.4 ft) from the pyramid base and has about 90 steps; the balustrades of the stairway are 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) wide and rise the whole height of the stairs. At Tikal this is a feature that is usually found in buildings dating to the Early Classic.
The shrine at the top of the pyramid contains a single room of small size, measuring only 90 centimetres (35.4 in) deep, while the rear wall behind this tiny room measures 4.57 metres (15 ft) thick. The room is 3.95 metres (13 ft) wide and 4.4 metres (14.4 ft) high. This room is the smallest room of any shrine at Tikal and is the only example from the larger temples that contains only one room. Above the room are three sealed vaulted
Corbel arch
A corbel arch is an arch-like construction method that uses the architectural technique of corbeling to span a space or void in a structure, such as an entranceway in a wall or as the span of a bridge...
chambers, the function of which is to reduce the overall weight of the structure. The shrine still contains the original wooden lintels. The cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
of the shrine is decorated on the north side with three masks of the rain god Chaac
Chaac
Chaac is the name of the Maya rain deity. With his lightning axe, Chaac strikes the clouds and produces thunder and rain. Chaac corresponds to Tlaloc among the Aztecs.-Rain deities and rain makers:...
and with frames containing human figures on the sides.
The temple is topped by a large roof comb
Roof comb
Roof comb is the structure that tops a pyramid in monumental Mesoamerican architecture. Examination of the decorations and iconography of Maya civilization roof-combs indicates that each icon had specific sacred meanings.-External links:...
measuring 12.5 metres (41 ft) high. The weight of the roof comb is lessened by 11 or 12 vaulted voids. It consists of four stepped sections, although very little remains of the top section, and the surviving three sections were decorated with eight masks. The north side of the lower section displays a very large mask of Chaac; this is flanked by two masks occupying the corners of the roof comb that represent the Maya sun god.
Offering 1 was found when a test pit was sunk into the basal platform immediately to the north of the pyramid's main stairway. It consisted of two ceramic basins placed rim-to-rim one on top of the other. Inside were found an earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
bowl and a small ceramic vessel and three shells that had been perforated to use as jewellery. The finds were all dated to the Early Classic, although they appeared to be in a Late Classic context.
Offering 2 was interred under the north-south axis of the pyramid and appears to be a dedicatory offering before construction began. It consists of five used incense burners associated with evidence of the burning of wood and incense. Two of the incense burners are cylindrical with applied masks of the sun god, with traces of red and blue paint, this were placed on either side of three effigy incense burners shaped like human figures. All are dated to the Late Classic.
Burial 1 was found interred under two unworked stones only 60 centimetres (23.6 in) north of Offering 1. It consisted of the skeleton of an adolescent human female aged approximately 15 years placed in a fetal position, facing to the west. Her teeth had been perforated for decorative purposes. She appeared to have died from a systemic infection
Systemic disease
Life-threatening disease redirects here.A systemic disease is one that affects a number of organs and tissues, or affects the body as a whole. Although most medical conditions will eventually involve multiple organs in advanced stage Life-threatening disease redirects here.A systemic disease is one...
that may have originated in an abscess
Tooth abscess
A tooth abscess or root abscess is pus enclosed in the tissues of the jaw bone at the apex of an infected tooth's root. Usually the abscess originates from a bacterial infection that has accumulated in the soft, often dead, pulp of the tooth. This can be caused by untreated tooth decay, cracked...
in one of her teeth. An earthenware bowl was placed by her right knee. The burial was dated to the Late Classic.
Burial 2 was discovered when archaeologists tunneled underneath the pyramid itself. The burial was interred in a cist
Cist
A cist from ) is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle East....
with two ceramic vessels placed covering the top. The cist was carved directly from the bedrock and, unusually, it was capped with planks of wood rather than the usual stone slabs. These planks were inserted into slots, indicating that they were 1.35 metres (4.4 ft) long and 20 centimetres (7.9 in) thick. The cist itself measured 0.5 by by 0.35 metres (1.1 ft) deep. The cist was not located under the central axis of the pyramid but rather under the central axis of the summit shrine, indicating that the builders had detailed paper
Amatl
Amate is a form of paper that has been manufactured in Mexico since the pre Hispanic times. Amate paper was extensively produced and used for both communication, records and ritual during the Aztec Empire; however, after the Spanish conquest, its production was mostly banned and replaced by...
construction plans providing precise measurements, allowing them to calculate exactly where to bury the deceased. The burial was accompanied by funerary offerings that included an earthenware bowl containing a ceramic incense burner that were placed on top of the wooden lid closing the cist.
The remains were those of a young adult male, between 18 and 22 years of age. His height was calculated from an intact femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
as 1.62 metres (5.3 ft), which is 5 centimetres (2 in) taller than the average for an adult male in the Late Classic. The skull of the deceased was elongated, having been subject to artificial cranial deformation
Artificial cranial deformation
Artificial cranial deformation, head flattening, or head binding is a form of permanent body alteration in which the skull of a human being is intentionally deformed. It is done by distorting the normal growth of a child's skull by applying force...
and his teeth had been filed and perforated. Any decoration inserted into the perforations of the upper jaw had fallen out but the lower canines
Canine tooth
In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...
still contained pyrite
Pyrite
The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold...
incrustations. He appeared to have enjoyed general good health during his life except for a bout of childhood anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin...
. The bones had been disarticulated before burial and many of the smaller bones were missing, for instance some bones from the hands and the spine. In the opinion of the excavator it is unlikely that the remains were those of a human sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
specifically in order to dedicate the temple since there were few signs of cutmarks on the bones.
Burial 2 is believed to have been interred after the artificial leveling of the terrain and prior to the construction of the pyramid itself. The cist contained ashes at the bottom and small fragments of carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
, evidence of a ritual performed before the human remains were deposited inside and the pyramid was built. On top of this was deposited a 2 inches (5.1 cm) layer of brown dust that is believed to be all that remains of a wooden box used to contain the human remains. The date of burial is estimated as AD 600–650, based on the accompanying ceramics and is not believed to be that of a ruler due to the relatively poor offering accompanying it.
History
Temple V was one of the greatest construction projects undertaken at Tikal during the Late Classic period. It is believed by some investigators to be the funerary temple of the eldest son of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I who is presumed to have died shortly after taking power in AD 734. This is not universally accepted however. Excavations of the platform have revealed activity dating back as far as the Early Classic and that construction began between AD 550 and 650. The temple was built in one construction phase and was not superimposed upon an earlier building.Investigating archaeologist Oswaldo Gómez has theorized that the temple was dedicated to the rain god Chaac, or was the funerary monument of a ruler who greatly venerated Chaac, based upon the presence of six large Chaac masks upon the roof comb and the placement of the temple with its unusual northward orientation facing directly onto the greatest source of water in the city.
Modern history
Although Temple V is one of the largest buildings in the site core, it was largely overlooked in the 20th century, perhaps due in part to its apparent lack of hieroglyphic inscriptionsMaya script
The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered...
. Due to its poor preservation and its continuing decay, in 1987 Temple V was included on a list of planned works by the Proyecto Nacional Tikal.
Temple V was the first temple to be discovered by Modesto Méndez, the governor of Petén, on the first expedition to the ruins. From a reexamination of Méndez' account, it appears he climbed the pyramid on 26 February 1848 and was able to discern the other major temples from its summit.
Alfred P. Maudslay
Alfred Maudslay
Alfred Percival Maudslay was a British colonial diplomat, explorer and archaeologist. He was one of the first Europeans to study Mayan ruins....
visited Tikal in 1881 and photographed the north face of Temple V, which he denominated as Temple D. He also briefly described the interior of the summit shrine. Teoberto Maler
Teoberto Maler
Teoberto Maler or Teobert Maler was an explorer who devoted his energies to documenting the ruins of the Maya civilization....
arrived at the ruins in 1894 and it was he who renamed the pyramid as Great Temple V. Maudslay also wrote a fuller description of the structure. Both Maudslay and Maler had the pyramid cleared of vegetation during their investigations. Alfred Tozzer
Alfred Tozzer
Alfred Marston Tozzer was an American anthropologist, archaeologist, linguist, and educator. His principal area of interest was Mesoamerican, especially Maya, studies. He was the father of figure skating champion Joan Tozzer....
arrived at the site in 1911 and surveyed the ruins, he was the first to record the temple simply as Temple V. After Tozzer's visit the rainforest was allowed to reclaim the structure.
In 1965 Christopher Jones of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
carried out investigations at the base of the stairway in an unsuccessful search for two monuments reported by Teoberto Maler in the 19th century. A few years later, in 1968, Miguel Orrego carried out further investigations of the temple. In 1987 and again in 1991 rescue work was undertaken upon the roof comb
Roof comb
Roof comb is the structure that tops a pyramid in monumental Mesoamerican architecture. Examination of the decorations and iconography of Maya civilization roof-combs indicates that each icon had specific sacred meanings.-External links:...
by the Proyecto Nacional Tikal to repair damage caused by a hole that allowed visitors to climb through onto the crest of the building. Further investigations of the temple were started in November 1995 by Oswaldo Gómez.
See also
- El Castillo, Chichen ItzaEl Castillo, Chichen Itza;El Castillo , also known as the Temple of Kukulkan, is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán...
- List of Mesoamerican pyramids
- Pyramid of the MagicianPyramid of the MagicianThe Pyramid of the Magician is a Mesoamerican step pyramid located in the ancient, Pre-Columbian city of Uxmal, Mexico. The structure is also referred to as the Pyramid of the Dwarf, Casa el Adivino, and the Pyramid of the Soothsayer...
at UxmalUxmalUxmal was dominant from 875 to 900 CE. The site appears to have been the capital of a regional state in the Puuc region from 850-950 CE. The Maya dynasty expanded their dominion over their neighbors. This prominence didn't last long... - Temple of the InscriptionsTemple of the InscriptionsThe Temple of the Inscriptions is the largest Mesoamerican stepped pyramid structure at the pre-Columbian Maya civilization site of Palenque, located in the modern-day state of Chiapas, Mexico. The structure was specifically built as the funerary monument for K'inich Janaab' Pakal, ajaw or ruler of...
at PalenquePalenquePalenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 100 BC to its fall around 800 AD... - Tikal Temple ITikal Temple ITikal Temple I is the designation given to one of the major structures at Tikal, one of the largest cities and archaeological sites of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in Mesoamerica. It is located in the Petén Basin region of northern Guatemala...
- Tikal Temple IITikal Temple IITikal Temple II is a Mesoamerican pyramid at the Maya archaeological site of Tikal in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala. The temple was built in the Late Classic Period in a style reminiscent of the Early Classic...
- Tikal Temple IIITikal Temple IIITikal Temple III, also known as the Temple of the Jaguar Priest, was one of the principal temple pyramids at the ancient Maya city of Tikal, in the Petén Department of modern Guatemala. The temple stands approximately tall. The summit shrine of Temple III differs from those of the other major...