Tikal Temple III

The roof comb of Temple III standing above the forest canopy

Tikal Temple III, also known as the Temple of the Jaguar Priest,^[1] 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 55 metres (180 ft) tall.^[1] The summit shrine of Temple III differs from those of the other major temples at Tikal in that it only possesses two rooms instead of the usual three.^[1] The pyramid was built in the Late Classic Period, and has been dated to 810 AD using the hieroglyphic text on Stela 24, which was raised at the base of its access stairway.^[1] Stela 24 is paired with the damaged Altar 6, in a typical stela-altar pair.^[1]

Temple III is associated with the little-known king Dark Sun,^[2] and it is likely that Temple III is Dark Sun's funerary temple.^[3] The construction of Temple III indicated that Tikal was still politically stable at the beginning of the 9th century AD.^[4] However, this was the last temple pyramid raised at Tikal and by the end of the 9th century the city had fallen into ruin.^[5]

Temple III is only partially restored and is closed to the public; it has not been the subject of archaeological investigation.^[6]

The structure

Maya civilization
People Society Languages Writing Religion Mythology Sacrifice Cities Architecture Calendar Stelae Art Textiles Trade Music Dance Medicine Cuisine
History
Preclassic Maya
Classic Maya collapse
Spanish conquest of the Maya
Yucatán Chiapas Guatemala Petén

Temple III is immediately south of the Tozzer Causeway and faces eastwards towards the Great Plaza.^[7] The inner doorway separating the two chambers of the summit shrine supports a finely sculpted lintel representing an obese figure wrapped in a jaguar skin.^[8] This is one of only two sculpted lintels at Tikal that are still in their original setting.^[8]

The temple structure was restored in 1967 and 1969 by the Tikal Project of the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, concentrating upon the summit shrine and the roof comb. The pyramid body itself was not restored but is known to have nine stepped levels and an east-facing access stairway.^[9]

The roof comb and the outer chamber of the summit shrine have suffered lightning damage, causing a 10-centimetre (3.9 in) wide crack in the eastern wall of the corbel vaulting.^[9]

See also

• El Castillo, Chichen Itza
• Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal
• Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque
• Tikal Temple I
• Tikal Temple II
• Tikal Temple IV
• Tikal Temple V

Citations

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tikal Temple III.

Tikal Kings of Tikal Chak Tok Ich'aak I Jasaw Chan K'awiil I Jasaw Chan K'awiil II Siyaj Chan K'awiil II Yik'in Chan K'awiil Siyaj K'ak' Yax Nuun Ayiin I Yax Nuun Ayiin II Pyramids Temple I Temple II Temple III Temple IV Temple V Temple VI Temple 33 Architectural Groups Mundo Perdido North Acropolis Plaza of the Seven Temples Twin-pyramid complex See also: Maya city

Maya sites Belize Actun Tunichil Muknal Altun Ha Baking Pot Barton Creek Cave Cahal Pech Caracol Cerros Chaa Creek Colha Cuello El Pilar Ka'Kabish K'axob La Milpa Lamanai Louisville Lubaantun Marco Gonzalez Nim Li Punit Nohmul Nohoch Che'en Pusilha San Estevan Santa Rita Corozal Tipu Uxbenka Xnaheb Xunantunich Guatemala Aguateca Altar de Sacrificios Arroyo de Piedra Balberta Bejucal Cancuén Chama Chitinamit Chocolá Cotzumalhuapa Dos Pilas El Baúl El Chal El Mirador El Perú El Porvenir El Tintal El Zotz Holmul Holtun Itzan Iximche Ixkun Ixlu Ixtonton Ixtutz Kaminaljuyu Kinal La Amelia La Blanca La Corona La Joyanca La Muerta Machaquila Mixco Viejo Montana Motul de San José Naachtun Nakbe Nakum Naranjo Pajaral Piedras Negras Punta de Chimino Quiriguá Q'umarkaj Río Azul Sacul San Bartolo San Mateo Ixtatán Seibal Takalik Abaj Tamarindito Tayasal Tikal Topoxte Tres Islas Uaxactun Ucanal Witzna Xultun Yaxha Zacpeten Zaculeu Zapote Bobal Honduras Copán El Puente Mexico Acanceh Aké Balamku Becan Bonampak Calakmul Chacchoben Chactún Chicanná Chinkultic Chichen Itza Chunchucmil Coba Comalcalco Dzibilchaltun Edzna Ek' Balam Izapa Jaina Kabah Kiuic Kohunlich Komchen Labna La Mar Mayapan Maní Muyil Oxkintok Palenque Punta Sur Río Bec San Gervasio Sayil Toniná Tulum Uxmal Xcaret Xelha Xlapak Xpuhil Yaxchilan Yo'okop El Salvador Cara Sucia Casa Blanca Joya de Cerén San Andrés Tazumal See also: Pre-Columbian era

Coordinates: 17°13′19.49″N 89°37′33.84″W / 17.2220806°N 89.6260667°W / 17.2220806; -89.6260667