Peak of El Mirador and La Danta Pyramid
300 BCE
El Mirador becomes the most powerful Preclassic Maya metropolis, housing the giant La Danta pyramid.
Historical Context
As Nakbe experienced slight decline, neighboring El Mirador underwent unprecedented demographic and political expansion, dominating the northern Guatemalan central lowlands.
The Event
Around 300 BCE, El Mirador built the La Danta pyramid complex. With a total volume exceeding 2.8 million cubic meters, it ranks among the largest architectural constructions of the ancient world.
Key Figures
Late Preclassic kings and rulers of El Mirador (Kan Kingdom).
Aftermath
El Mirador became the first true Maya regional metropolis, housing tens of thousands of inhabitants and centralizing trade in precious commodities (jade, obsidian).
Legacy & Culture
The La Danta complex remains an enduring symbol of early Maya technical mastery in large-scale engineering and material transport.
Historiography
El Mirador's sudden collapse around 150 CE is a key area of research, with deforestation, wetland (bajo) desiccation, and regional warfare cited as primary factors.
Sources and References
Robert J. Sharer & Loa P. Traxler, The Ancient Maya (6th ed.)
Semantic cluster
Maya civilization clusterPreclassic to Postclassic: Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, calendar and collapses.
Cluster internal links
- Previous (cluster)
Foundation and Rise of Nakbe
1000 BCE
- Next (cluster)
San Bartolo Wall Murals
100 BCE
- Same cluster
First Long Count Dated Stela (Chiapa de Corzo)
36 BCE
- Same cluster
Foundation of the Tikal Dynasty
Primordial times
- Same cluster
Tikal Stela 29 (Start of Classic Maya Period)
292
- Same cluster
The Arrival of Strangers at Tikal (Siyaj K'ak')
378
- Semantic bridge
Universal Standardization of Script, Currency, Weights, and Measures
220 BCE
- Semantic bridge
Official Invention of Paper-Making Process by Cai Lun
105
- Semantic bridge
First Official Paper Money (Jiaozi)
1024