Do you remember a show called The Voyage of the Mimi? Chances are that if you’re in your mid- to late- twenties you may have watched this show in elementary school. I did and it’s where I first learned about Mayan ruins. (Random aside: A quick Google search reveals that Ben Affleck was actually in this show. See the YouTube video if you’re curious.)
Ever since this show I’ve been fascinated by the Mayan history and people. My first visit to Mayan ruins was to Lubaantun in Belize several years ago. Since then, I’ve also been to Xunantunich, a magnificent spot near San Ignacio, Belize. Because of these trips I felt well-prepared for our visit to Tikal National Park in Guatemala.
But I wasn’t prepared for Tikal. Tikal National Park is huge. The grounds were far more expansive than anything I expected and the number of buildings was amazing.
But even the size didn’t surprise me as much as the number of unexcavated ruins. Less than 20% of the ruins at Tikal are excavated.
Excavation In Progress
This means that as you go from temple to temple, you walk by huge mounds of dirt and grass, often with large trees sticking out. And do you know what’s under these trees and grass? More ruins.
Tikal Mayan Ruins Covered in Grass and Trees
It absolutely astounds me that there is so much yet to be uncovered. Buried in these ruins there could be tools, jewels, maybe even hieroglyphics that reveal a cure for cancer. The mystery! 
What’s Buried Beneath This Mound?
As I wandered the grounds, my imagination running wild, I thought about the future of the Tikal Ruins.
I first thought of all the archeology students who could study abroad in Guatemala and excavate. They’re cheap labor and their universities could fund the research. (The Guatemalan government doesn’t have the money for excavations.)
But then it occurred to me that perhaps we should leave the ruins in peace. They’re well preserved when covered. And visitors to Tikal can continue to ponder the mysteries of the hidden Mayan ruins.
What do you think?
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I say we leave them… There’s a majesty in mystery.
Wow, absolutey amazing! Agree with leaving them in peace. There will never be 100% control over tourists’ respect if they try to commercialize it. I’d visited the Mayan ruins and as fantastic the experience, I couldn’t help but be annoyed at the occasional gum or cigarette butt.
Thank you for the fantastic article!
I find very exciting that we all exchange links with pictures about Mayan Ruins. I just found a great gallery with lots of pictures from Tikal and lots of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and Honduras Mayan Sites
You will love it for sure
something tells me not hieroglyphics are buried there….wrong ancient society
@ Matt – well, you never know
Wow! That is so cool!
Thanks for your article! I will check back for more interesting articles
The road is rough until you get to the border of the Petén province. From there the road is better up to Sayaxché which is about the three- quarter way point. Sayaxché to Flores, the capital of the the Petén province and Tikal is a recently paved piece of cake. Do not try this in the rainy season and four wheel drive with winch is recommended even in the dry season in case of unseasonable rains.
They say that erosion that will come when they uncover the mounts is worse than what the trees and nature can do, so as long as there is no money for a complete effort, these ruins should remain covered. One bad thing about this is that many treasures that should remain there until discovered by archeologists are being found by looters and go to private collections (it they were going to museums it would not be that bad) and lost to the public, many times forever.
I just came back from Guatemala yesterday after being there for 25 days. I spend a whole day at Tikal and I think they should be uncovered, but at the same time they should be left alone. The site was amazing but the thing that really made me mad was the amount of graffiti and crap that visitors carved into the sides and insides of buildings. These ruins are all thats left of an amazing and gifted civilization and the disrespect that people have towards it makes me very angry.