Editing Tikal (section)

===Preclassic===

There are traces of early agriculture at the site dating as far back as 1000 BC, in the Middle Preclassic.<ref name=w262/> A cache of Mamon [[pottery|ceramics]] dating from about 700–400 BC were found in a sealed [[chultun]], a subterranean bottle-shaped chamber.<ref>Coe 1999, p.55.</ref>

Major construction at Tikal was already taking place in the Late Preclassic period, first appearing around 400–300 BC, including the building of major [[Mesoamerican pyramids|pyramids]] and platforms, although the city was still dwarfed by sites further north such as [[El Mirador]] and [[Nakbe]].<ref name=w262/><ref>Coe 1999, p.73.</ref> At this time, Tikal participated in the widespread [[Chikanel]] culture that dominated the Central and Northern Maya areas at this time – a region that included the entire [[Yucatán Peninsula]] including northern and eastern Guatemala and all of Belize.<ref>Coe 1999, pp.73, 80.</ref>

Two temples dating to Late Chikanel times had masonry-walled [[superstructure]]s that may have been [[Corbel arch|corbel-vaulted]], although this has not been proven. One of these had elaborate paintings on the outer walls showing human figures against a [[scrollwork]] background, painted in yellow, black, pink and red.<ref name=c75/>

In the 1st century AD, rich burials first appeared and Tikal underwent a political and cultural florescence as its giant northern neighbors declined.<ref name=w262/> At the end of the Late Preclassic, the [[Izapa]]n style art and architecture from the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] Coast began to influence Tikal, as demonstrated by a broken sculpture from the [[acropolis]] and early murals at the city.<ref>Coe 1999, p.78.</ref>