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El Mirador is perhaps the most exotic and mysterious of all Peten's Maya sites. Still buried in the forest, this massive city matches Tikal's scale, and may even surpass it. Rediscovered in 1926, it dates from an earlier period than Tikal, having flourished between 150 BC and 150 AD, and was almost certainly the first great city in the Maya world. It was unquestionably the dominant city in Peten, occupying a commanding position above the rainforest, at an altitude of 250m, and was home to tens of thousands of Maya. Little archeological work has been done here but it's clear that the site represents the peak of Preclassic Maya culture, which was perhaps far more sophisticated than was once believed. The core of the site covers some sixteen square kilometres, stretching between two massive pyramids that face each other across the forest. The site's western side is marked by the massive Tigre Complex , made up of a huge single pyramid flanked by two smaller structures, a triadic design that's characteristic of El Mirador's architecture. The base of this complex alone would cover around three football fields, while the height of the 2000-year-old main pyramid touches 70m, equivalent to an eighteen-storey building and the tallest structure anywhere in the Maya world. In front of the Tigre Complex is El Mirador's sacred hub: a long narrow plaza, the Central Acropolis , and a row of smaller buildings. Burial chambers unearthed in this central section contained the bodies of priests and noblemen, surrounded by the obsidian lancets and stingray spines which were used to pierce the penis, ears and tongue in ritual bloodletting ceremonies. The spilling of blood was seen by the Maya as a method of summoning and sustaining the gods, and was clearly common at all the great ceremonial centres. To the south of the Tigre Complex is the Monos Complex , another triadic structure and plaza, named after the resident howler monkeys. To the north the Leon pyramid and the Casabel Complex mark the edge of the site. Heading away to the east, the Puleston Causeway runs to the smaller East Group, the largest of which (about 2km from the Tigre Complex) is the Danta Complex . This is another triadic structure, rising in three stages to a height just below that of the Tigre pyramid, but with an even better view since it was built on higher land. The area around El Mirador is riddled with smaller Maya sites, and as you look out across the forest from the top of either of the main temples you can see others rising above the forest canopy on all sides - including the giant Calakmul in Mexico. Among the most accessible are Nakbe , 10km south, where a huge Maya mask (5m by 8m), was found in September 1992, and El Tintal , around 21km southwest, which you'll pass on your way in from Carmelita. Getting to El Mirador is a substantial undertaking, involving a rough 60km bus or pick-up journey from Santa Elena to the chicle- and xate -gathering centre of Carmelita , followed by two days of hard jungle hiking - you'll need a horse to carry your food and equipment. The journey is impossibly muddy in the rainy season, and is best attempted from mid-January to August; February to April is the driest period. The trip offers an exceptional chance to see virtually untouched forest, and perhaps some of the creatures that inhabit it. ProPeten and EcoMaya offer five-day tours (around US$200 for two people) from Flores, including guide, packhorse and digs in Carmelita, or you can travel independently , arranging a guide in Carmelita (about US$30 a day), who will then organize packhorse, food, water and camping gear for you - ask for Luis Morales, president of the Tourist Committee, who can sort out guides for the trip. You should definitely bring some supplies for the guards, who spend forty days at a time in the forest, subsisting on beans and tortillas. Whether you take a tour or go independently, you're advised to examine the information and maps at ProPeten and CINCAP. There's a daily bus at 1pm from Santa Elena to Carmelita via San Andres and Cruce Dos Aguadas. There's basic but clean accommodation in Carmelita at the Campamento Nakbe (US$5-10), 1.5km before the village, where the large thatched shelters have mosquito nets and hammocks, or, if you have your own tent, you can camp (US$2 per person). For a good feed, visit the Comedor Pepe Tono in the centre of the village, run by Brenda Zapata, who is a mine of information about the area and can introduce you to the local guides.
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