“The artificial hills and plazas of even small centers were symbolic depictions of the sacred landscape of mountains, hills, trees, and lakes, material replicas of the Maya cosmos designed as the settings for elaborate public rituals that sanctified Maya life—and water management. Tikal, Belize's Caracol, and other centers were giant water catchments, their pyramids "water mountains.” New WorldElixirResource ManagementPublic WorksWaterworks Author:Brian Murray Fagan