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 he Peten was rarely at peace, and alliances between cities were constantly shifting. Wars were fought. Friends became bitter enemies and new alliances were formed.The cities of Caracol, Calakmul, and Dos Pilas, envious and probably a little frightened of their mighty neighbor, formed just such an alliance in the sixth century. In 562 Tikal suffered a humiliating defeat at their hands. Tikal's ahau, Double Bird, was captured, tortured, and sacrificed in Dos Pilas. Humbled, Tikal was forced to make tribute payments of food, ceramics, and cacao beans to its conquering neighbors. Human tribute was demanded as well. Artists, scribes, craftspeople, and laborers from Tikal were forced to work in the enemy cities. Double Bird's son, Animal Skull, was allowed to become ahau of Tikal, but he was king in name only. In truth he was powerless. The defeat marked the beginning of the darkest period in Tikal's long history. The marketplace grew quiet as trade was diverted to enemy cities. Tikal was impoverished. No grand palaces or pyramids were built during Animal Skull's reign, nor during the reigns of the three ahaus who came after him. Worst of all, these helpless kings were not allowed to perform the religious rituals and sacrifices that were so necessary to keep Tikal in harmony with its gods. For people who looked to hundreds of different gods for everything from plentiful rainfall to successful beekeeping, this must have been a cruel blow. |