Buried within the furthest reaches of the Petén jungle, just 7 km south of the Mexican border, the Late Preclassic metropolis at El Mirador contains possibly the largest cluster of buildings of any single Maya site, among them the biggest pyramid ever built in the Maya world. Ongoing excavations have only scratched the surface, so many are still hidden beneath the jungle. El Mirador was so-named by local chicleros chicle harvesters for the excellent views provided by some of the pyramids. La Danta the Tapir looms 70m above the forest floor. El Tigre is 55m high with a base covering 18,000 square meters. At its height, the city spread over 16 square km and supported tens of thousands of citizens. It was certainly one of the greatest Maya cities of the Preclassic era. Built by the ancient civilization of The Maya in 800 B.C. during the Pre-Classical period, El Mirador archeological site is believed to be the cradle of Mayan civilization in America, and the oldest mayan city in history, dating to the Pre-Columbian era. Mirador has three big sectors, all connected by a networks of highways, that allowed communication between all settlements. It has 35 architectural complex, astronomical observatories, an Acropolis and huge edifications. Most structures, masks, glyphs, friezes and pyramids have undergone restoration and maintenance, after being buried by the tropical rainforest for thousands of years. El Mirador was the dominant city of all region.
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