| Chichén Itzá, (pronounced, Cheechen eetZA) is | | | | discovered during excavation. A tunnel was cut |
| perhaps the best known Mayan archaeological site | | | | into the outer structure, and a stairway was |
| on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, leading Palenque, | | | | located, which is the entrance to the inner |
| in Chiapas, Mexico, Tikal in Guatemala and Copan | | | | structure. The entrance is at the base of the |
| in Honduras. Thought to be built on the site of a | | | | north side of El Castillo, but the inner temple can |
| prior Mayan settlement, the city was at its height | | | | be visited only during certain hours. Check as you |
| from around AD 980 to 1220, preceding the | | | | enter the site, as the schedule is subject to |
| Toltecs from central Mexico, who settled here. | | | | change. Also, check on the open hours for the |
| Many ruins of important buildings remain from this | | | | interior structure of the Temple of the Warriors |
| time. These include the Castillo and other temples | | | | and the painted chamber of the Temple of the |
| with sculptures and color reliefs, an observatory, | | | | Jaguars. The open hours of the three do not |
| and a sacred well (cenote), into which sacrifices, | | | | overlap; you can probably work all three into your |
| including human beings, were thrown. | | | | schedule if you plan ahead. |
| History of Chichén Itzá | | | | Climbing the exterior of El Castillo is very pleasant |
| It is believed that Chichén Itzá was founded | | | | for it offers delightful views of the north section |
| by the Putún Maya from the coastal region of | | | | of the site. This temple is composed of a |
| the Gulf of Mexico in around 850 AD. Later the | | | | pyramidal base rising in three tiers, with a temple |
| Toltec took over and they modeled many of the | | | | on top, approached by a stairway on the west |
| buildings to those of their former capital at Tula. | | | | side. There is a large colonnade of stone pillars |
| Different styles of architecture are found in | | | | carved with figures of warriors at the base of |
| different Mayan regions, all based on the | | | | the structure on the west side. |
| differences in culture and resources available for | | | | Upon getting to the entrance of the temple a |
| the establishment of the settlements. What you | | | | Chac Mool and two beautifully carved serpent |
| will find in Palenque will be very different from | | | | columns' at the rear and small Atlantean figures |
| what you will find in Copan; just as the structure | | | | rest supporting an altar. The facade of the temple |
| of architecture, design and layout will be different | | | | has sculptures depicting Chac, the Maya rain god. |
| in Chichén Itzá from that in Tikal. Toltec rule | | | | The Temple of the Warriors also had at least two |
| ended when the city fell to Hunac Ceel, ruler of | | | | construction phases. There is an earlier inner |
| the neighbouring city-state of Mayapán, in 1221. | | | | temple, with pillars sculptured in bas-relief, which |
| Upon the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th | | | | retain much of their original color, and murals once |
| century, the site had long been abandoned and | | | | adorned the walls of the inner structure. There |
| fallen into ruin, the Maya that build and used the | | | | are also a Chac Mool and the heads of serpent |
| pyramids never saw Spanish ships coming to the | | | | columns inside. |
| new land as Mel Gibson would like to think. One | | | | The other structure of interest in this area is the |
| theory suggests that many of the Maya from | | | | Mercado, or Market, on the south side of the |
| the larger settlements, namely Chichén Itzá | | | | courtyard, build on a slightly elevated platform, |
| Palenque, Tikal and Copan, left and migrated | | | | much like you would find in Palenque or Tikal, |
| deeper into the jungle. The reason for this is still | | | | where the center of the urban developments |
| unknown, but it is often suggested that lack | | | | always created a special place for commerce. |
| agricultural resources was one of the causes. | | | | The Sacred Cenote is not a structure created by |
| It is interesting to note that the Mexican | | | | the Mayan of Chichén Itzá, but a natural |
| government established a highway that went right | | | | formation created by an underground river |
| through the site in 1983, but for ecological, and | | | | system that continues to foster tropical growth |
| not so much archaeological reasons, this part of | | | | on the Yucatan peninsula. Although natural, it may |
| the highway was closed, and a bypass was built | | | | have been altered to achieve its nearly circular |
| north of the site. The hotels on the east side can | | | | shape. It is worth noting the coincidence in |
| be reached by taking the bypass and then | | | | relationship between the location of establishments |
| heading back toward the site (west) on the old | | | | -Palenque and Copan, to name a couple- and the |
| section of Highway 180 that is still open for local | | | | existence of cenotes. There are several theories |
| traffic. | | | | that explain the function and reverence paid to |
| The site | | | | the mysterious “dznot” or hole (Mayan) in |
| Chichén Itzá has three main components that | | | | the ground. About 180 feet in diameter and sides, |
| create the layout of the site: | | | | 80 feet in depth above the water level, the |
| (1) The North End structures, divided by the | | | | Sacred Cenote was apparently not used as a |
| highway | | | | water supply but was reserved for rituals and |
| (2) The South End structures divided by the | | | | human sacrifice involving the rain god. The notion |
| highway | | | | that the sacrificed victims were all beautiful young |
| (3) "Old Chichén.": groups of structures even | | | | virgins was disproved when human remains of |
| further south. | | | | young children and older adults, both male and |
| Architecture and Knowledge | | | | female, were discovered. The Sacred Cenote is in |
| A literary Tour of Chichén Itzá | | | | a depression, and the surrounding dense |
| There are two principal styles of public | | | | vegetation cuts off most of the air. On a still day, |
| architecture at Chichén Itzá. The first is a local | | | | the heavy atmosphere and buzzing insects can |
| variant of the Puuc style found at sites in | | | | create a hypnotic effect, and one con easily |
| west-central Yucatán and northeastern | | | | imagine this as a place of human sacrifice. The |
| Campeche. The other style, according to Peter J. | | | | remains of a small temple on the edge of the |
| Schmidt, "is partly derived from the same roots | | | | cenote are very similar to those found in |
| but is vastly enriched by elements and concepts | | | | Topoxte, Guatemala, somewhat near the area of |
| from other parts of Mesoamerica, notably the | | | | Tikal. |
| Gulf Coast, Oaxaca, and central México". Early | | | | Due north of the cenote is the Skull Rack, or |
| investigators of Chichén Itzá proposed that | | | | Tzompantli. The sides are covered with |
| Puuc-style traits were "Maya" and the features of | | | | bas-reliefs; some depict skulls in profile, except for |
| the "Toltec" style include serpent columns, Chac | | | | the corners, where they are shown full face. |
| Mools, Atlantean figures, serpent heads at the top | | | | Oddly enough, each is different from the other |
| of alfardas, tzompontlis, and carvings of | | | | and appears to have its own personality. Other |
| processions of warriors, among others, much like | | | | bas-reliefs show warriors in full regalia. Two Chac |
| those found in Copan and Tikal. | | | | Mools were excavated from the platform. |
| Architecturally, this style embodies stepped | | | | To the west to the Great Ball Court, or Poctapoc, |
| pyramids dance platforms with stairs on all four | | | | the largest in Mesoamerica' its walls measure 272 |
| sides, large columned porticoes, gallery-patio | | | | feet long, but the playing area extends some |
| compounds, as well as other features. | | | | distance beyond. There are interesting bas-relief |
| While Mexican influence is clearly present at | | | | carvings on the lower walls of the ball court |
| Chichén Itzá, Schmidt believes that "continuity | | | | depicting ball game activities and ritual sacrifice. A |
| of construction techniques, residential systems, | | | | small temple lies at each end of the ball court, and |
| and other features of daily life, such as ceramic | | | | from in front of the north temple (the Temple of |
| vessel types, argue for the continued Maya | | | | the Bearded Man) a person speaking in a natural |
| character of Chichén Itzá, Tikal and Palenque." | | | | voice reportedly can be heard at the other end of |
| The North End structures | | | | the court, about 150 yards away. What’s |
| Approaching from the west end of Chichén | | | | most interesting about this game is that the |
| Itzá, El Castillo-also called the Temple of | | | | captain of the two opposing teams (shadow and |
| Kukulcán- towers over the region and is visible | | | | light) was sacrificed. It is believed that they had a |
| from afar. The pyramid was said to have been | | | | place within the neighboring structure of the |
| built in honor of Kukulcan, the serpent of | | | | Temple of Warriors. |
| agriculture. The Mayans of the region built it such | | | | There are two columns at the entrance to the |
| that on the second equinox of the year a serpent | | | | one-room temple, and these, the interior walls, to |
| would form created by the sun’s angle and | | | | the Temple of the Bearded Man are some |
| perfect isosceles triangles casting its | | | | remains of red paint, and this emphasizes the |
| shadow…expressing the movement of a giant | | | | carvings. The larger temple at the south end of |
| serpent of sun and shadow coming down the | | | | the ball court also has remains of columns with |
| temple to fertilize the soils of Chichén Itzá. | | | | carvings, but the walls and vault surfaces are plain. |
| Nearby El Castillo, a square-based stepped | | | | When you return to the plaza level, you can enter |
| pyramid about 75 feet tall, stands crowned by a | | | | a chamber below the Temple of the Jaguars that |
| temple. It originally had stairways on all four sides; | | | | faces east. It has polychrome bas-reliefs on pillars, |
| two of these have been restored. The visible | | | | walls, and vault in a good state of preservation |
| structure covers a smaller, earlier one (of similar | | | | and a simple three dimensional sculpture of a |
| plan), and some interesting sculpture is found on | | | | jaguar, possibly a throne. |
| the inside of the latter. The inner structure was | | | | |