National Geographic archaeologist George E. Stuart reported in 1975 on the scientists who sought to decode the ancient language—and the looters who stood in their way.

National Geographic Explorer David Stuart has been critical to unraveling the mysteries of the Maya. In our latest Ask an ...

Tikal’s great plaza, at the heart of what was one of the most powerful city-states in the Americas, is surrounded by monumental structures: the stepped terraces of the North Acropolis, festooned with ...

Altar Q, a Mayan monument carved approximately 1,300 years ago in Honduras, may reveal a code that has eluded scientists until now. A recent study suggests that the hand signs depicted on this altar ...

Preface: Discovering the Maya past -- Introduction -- Tikal -- Dos Pilas -- Naranjo -- Caracol -- Calakmul -- Yaxchilan -- Piedras Negras -- Palenque -- Tonina ...