Tikal Temple IV

[3] Archaeologists estimate that 190,000 cubic metres (6,700,000 cu ft) of construction material were utilised in the bulk of the pyramid.

[3] The temple faces eastwards towards the site core and supports a massive roof comb in pure Petén style, which was built upon the highest part of the structure's rear.

[3] The pyramid body itself, excluding the superstructure, consists of seven stepped levels with slanting talud walls and multiple corners.

The supplementary platform is not exactly rectangular but consists of a number of architectural elements forming a complex plan.

[6] The upper sections of the exterior walls formed a frieze, with three giant stone mosaic masks facing eastwards over the temple access.

[6] The central mask was directly over the outer doorway, while the other two were near the northern and southern extremes of the building's facade.

[9] The lintels were carved elsewhere and then moved to the pyramid, raised to the summit shrine and installed in prepared positions; this was a laborious task given that sapodilla wood weighs 1120 kg/m3 (69.1 lb/cubic foot).

[11] It depicts the Tikal king Yik'in Chan K'awiil seated on a litter underneath the arch of a celestial serpent.

[11] The Tikal Project of the University of Pennsylvania stabilised the ruins of the pyramid between 1964 and 1969, carrying out some limited restoration work to the upper part of the temple.