Why go
Set Tulum’s coastal ruins against a wider later Maya world. Chichén Itzá, Mayapán and the Puuc cities show changing centres of power in Yucatán, while Q’umarkaj and Iximché tell a different highland story. The contrast helps explain why one abandoned city never marked the end of Maya history.
The full story
After the decline of many southern lowland royal centres, cities in northern Yucatán remained active or reached new heights. Uxmal flourished while older southern centres such as Copán and Palenque were in retreat. Chichén Itzá held regional importance, followed by Mayapán and, later, separate Yucatán lordships. The dates of particular shifts are debated, so follow the broad sequence rather than one supposed turning point. The map also extends beyond Yucatán. In the Guatemalan highlands, K’iche’ rulers established Q’umarkaj and Kaqchikel rulers later centred power at Iximché. Some older sites were reoccupied or kept ritual importance even when their political role changed. San Gervasio on Cozumel served as a regional religious centre. These examples show continued building, movement, competition and worship. They also caution against using one site, however striking, as a stand-in for every Postclassic Maya community.