Cival

Cival is an archaeological site in the Petén Basin region of the southern Maya lowlands. It was once a major city of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization and is located in modern-day Department of Petén, Guatemala.

The city thrived from about the 6th century B.C. to the 1st century C.E., during a time called the Preclassic Period. At its peak, Cival may have been home to around 10,000 people. It sits about 25 miles (40 km) east of another famous site, Tikal, on a ridge above the Holmul river.

Cival has impressive stone temples shaped like steps and open spaces designed to line up with important astronomical events, like the equinox sunrise. The largest temple stands 27 metres tall. Some buildings had detailed decorations made from a material called stucco that showed images of ancient deities.

The city was hidden deep in the jungle until it was found by chance around 1980. An explorer, Ian Graham, mapped the site in 1984 and named it Cival after a local word for "lagoon". The true ancient name of the city remains a mystery.

Archaeological work at Cival began in 2001 and continues today, led by Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli. This research has helped experts learn more about the early Maya people, uncovering the earliest known Maya calendar dates and evidence of royal family lines of monarchs.