Stay Curious

SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND UNLOCK ONE MORE ARTICLE FOR FREE.

Sign Up

VIEW OUR Privacy Policy


Discover Magazine Logo

WANT MORE? KEEP READING FOR AS LOW AS $1.99!

Subscribe

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

FIND MY SUBSCRIPTION
Advertisement

The 3 Secrets Behind Ancient Maya's Super Strong Architecture

Mayan temples and pyramids are just as strong as skyscrapers. Discover the architectural tricks used by ancient Central American builders.

The tallest temples in the Maya City of Tikal, including the Temple of the Great Jaguar, were built between between 600 and 900 C.E. and are still standing today. (Credit: Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

One unsuspecting February morning in 1976, a 7.5 scale earthquake shook the Central American country of Guatemala. Originating from the Motagua Fault, the meeting point of the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates, the earthquake killed around 23,000 people and injured many more. The damage to buildings was also devastating, with tens of thousands of brightly painted adobe houses reduced to rubble in a matter of seconds.

Ironically, one of the few places in Guatemala that wasn’t leveled by the earthquake was the ancient Maya city of Tikal. Although the shock had uprooted plenty of trees, the city’s limestone buildings — including its iconic pyramids — didn’t show as much as a scratch. To locals, this was as relieving as it was puzzling.

How did the Maya, who lived hundreds of years ago and had limited access to technology, create architecture that was as strong and durable as anything modern ...

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

0 Free Articles