Wandering through Mayan ruins now consumed with tropical forest, listening to the hum of insects and roar of howler monkeys, it is strange and slightly disconcerting to consider these sites as once thriving and powerful city states that dominated a vast area for more than 800 years.
 
The Mayan's had a remarkably accurate  knowledge of the astrological calendar. They also kept records of their own history in beautifully carved sacred stones known as 'Stelae'. Using the Mayan 'longcount system', archaeologists are shedding more and more light on the complexities of Maya culture, history and intrigue. The picture emerging is of a world in which City states rose and fell in influence as rebellion and strategic alliances led to brutal wars.

One of the greatest and best recorded conflicts of the Maya classical period is the power struggle between the Mayan 'superpowers' of Caracol in modern day Belize, and Tikal in the Peten region of northern Guatemala. Today both cities offer remarkable experiences of exploring vast uninhabited Mayan ruins engulfed by some of central America''s largest areas of tropical forest. 1500 years ago these where some of the planet's largest and most advanced imperial powers.

Although inhabited and with buildings dating from 400-300 BC, Tikal began it's real dynastic rise to power in the 4th Century AD. - This was perhaps due in part to the collapse of pre-classic Mayan city states such as El Mirador to the north. At around this same time Tikal created a relationship with the vast central Mexican empire of Teotihuacan lying some 1000km to the north. The Teotihuacan' ruler / general, known as 'the fire is born', is recorded to have visited Tikal in 378 AD. This demonstrated how important the connection was between these two city states. For much of this early period Caracol in Belize slowly developed as a client state under the power of Tikal. Tikal appears to have been engaged in a long term conflict with the huge city of Calakmul in the southern Yucatan. In 562 AD, Calakmul and Caracol seem to have formed an alliance under the rule of  Yajaw Te' Kinich (Lord Water), and Tikal suffered aresounding defeat in which it's ruler was sacrificed. The city appears to have then come under the rule of Caracol for more than 100 years. - No historical stelae exist at Tikal during this time, but many buildings adopted the styles of Caracol. Caracol rose to the height of its power in the 7th and 8th Centuries  and the 60m Sky Palace or Caana built during this period is still Belize''s largest structure! Perhaps more than 100,000 people lived in Caracol at this time.

A final twist of fates once again occurred under the rule of Nuun Ujol Chaak (Sheild Skull) and his son and successor Jasaw Chan K'awiil. In 695 AD Tikal had defeated all of its rivals and a stela even shows what is considered to be Calakmul's defeated ruler being paraded through Tikal on a tether. The 70m temple of double headed serpent was built at this time -and this is still the tallest known Mayan structure yet discovered.

Both Tikal and Caracol appear to have prospered until the end of the 9th century, when they appear to have collapsed almost simultaneously. This was perhaps under the pressure of climate change and lack of rainfall causing starvation and chaos. The last recorded date at Caracol on a stala is 859 AD. Caracol, which possibly survived longer the Tikal, was practically abandoned by 1050 AD, left to the forces of nature to reclaim. Even the power of the Maya could not resist the power of nature - perhaps a lesson that we should still heed today.