The Maya center of Tikal, in Guatemala, is famous for its well-preserved
architecture. This book presents detailed descriptions of four of the
six Great Temples that dominate Tikal's city center. Whereas Great
Temples I and II were published in 1990 in Tikal Report 14, the four
structures presented here are Great Temples III, IV, V, and VI. All but
Great Temple V represent Late Classic construction and can be associated
with known rulers.
It is tempting to think of these structures as funerary monuments, but
this is only a supposition. Their relationship with rulers may have been
much more complex. This report is the primary record of these important
buildings in Tikal's urban landscape. It provides clear, precise, and
usable architectural analyses for Mayanists, archaeologists, art
historians, architectural historians, urbanists, and those interested in
construction techniques and in the uses of Maya buildings.
University Museum Monograph, 146