History Set In Stone – Maya Rulers Put Their Personal Stamp On Ancient Monuments

Early Classic pyramid 5C-49 in the Mundo Perdido complex of Tikal, Peten, Guatemala. Credit: Simon Burchell – CC BY-SA 3.0

Ancient rulers had one thing in common with political leaders today – they were eager to brand themselves. Archaeologists have discovered Maya rulers put their personal stamp on monumental complexes.

Early Maya cities featured monumental complexes, which centered on a shared form of religion but these complexes transformed radically once kingship emerged in 400 B.C. To solidify their power, rulers throughout the Maya lowlands would change these complexes, installing their mark on the landscape and reshaping how people remember it, according to a Dartmouth study published in Ancient Mesoamerica.

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Source: https://www.ancientpages.com/2021/09/22/history-set-in-stone-maya-rulers-put-their-personal-stamp-on-ancient-monuments/