What was the ancient Maya name of the city of Tikal?

The ancient Maya name of the city now called Tikal was Yax Mutal. The name appears in hieroglyphic inscriptions from the site and is commonly interpreted as “First Mutal” or “First Yax Mutal.”

Tikal was one of the largest and most powerful cities of the Classic Maya world. It flourished in the rainforests of the Petén region of present-day Guatemala, especially between the 3rd and 9th centuries CE. Its rulers built monumental pyramids, palaces, causeways, and carved stelae recording dynastic events.

“Tikal” is not the city’s original Maya name. It is a later name that became established after the ruins were encountered by outsiders in the 19th century. The ancient kingdom was associated with the Mutal emblem glyph, while the form Yax Mutal helped distinguish it from another Maya center that used a similar name.

Readers sometimes see the spelling “Yax Mutul” instead of “Yax Mutal.” This reflects differences in interpreting and transliterating Maya hieroglyphs, rather than a completely different city.