Columbian cities, with an estimated population of 35,000 at its peak, Chichén Itzá flourished between the 8th and 12th centuries CE.

The Temple of the Inscriptions at the ruins of the Maya city of Palenque, in Chiapas, Mexico. Photograph by Jon G. Fuller, VWPics/Redux. By Liz Brumer-Smith. May 19, 2025.