Were Maya cities abandoned after their ruler was captured and sacrificed?
   Karen, Web Post

Dr. dig responds:
If we look at the early history of the ancient Maya site of Tik'al, Guatemala, we can see that the fortunes of the city varied through time, but that it was never abandoned. In 556, Tik'al was powerful enough to attack Caracol in an "axe war" -- but a few years later Caracol had recovered enough to plunder Tik'al and sacrifice her king. Tik'al contracted, and then slowly regained power, becoming more of a threat until fighting erupted and we read reports of Caracol claiming to have captured another king of Tik'al! By 695, Tik'al was a mighty city ruled by Heavenly Standard Bearer, capable of capturing the king of Kalak'mul. Tik'al started to decline in the 800s, with the final Tik'al inscription dated 879.