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Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá is one of the most visited archeological sites in Mexico. The Maya name "Chichén Itzá" means "At the mouth of the well of the Itza."
Chichén Itzá
2004
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The Temple of Kukulcán (El Castillo) dominates the center of the archeological site.
It is one of the tallest and most remarkable examples of Maya architecture. It is a four sided pyramid, with a rectangular temple on the top.
The pyramid was built on top of an earlier, smaller structure, which it covered. And there is also a hidden cenote, 8m under the pyramid.
Meanwhile a lizard is taking a sunbath.
The Tzompantli is a Skull Platform near the Great Ballcourt and decorated with hundreds of carved skulls. It's 60m (197 feet) long, 12m (39 feet) wide and one of the oldest Tzompantli ever found.
One of the stone carved skulls from Tzompantli. The monument provides a clear indication to the practice of human sacrifice at Chichén Itzá.
Another lizard lurking around. Lizards in México come in all shapes and sizes. And they like being exposed to sunlight.
The Grand Ballcourt structures for playing Pok-A-Tok (from the top of the Kukulcán pyramid).
Chichén Itzá has the biggest Pok-A-Tok court of all Mesoamerica. The court is 169m (545 feet) long and 66m (225 feet) wide. Pok ta Pok is a ritual ball game from the highlands of México that is over 3000 years old. Players of Pok Ta Pok attempt to score by hitting the ball with their hips into the goal - a stone ring placed on the court wall.
The stone ring is located 9m (30 ft) above the floor of the Great Ballcourt. In fact the winner of the game was sacrificed in former times, which was then the highest honor bestowed on a Mayan player. The walls are covered with carved depictions of sacrifices made to the gods at the game's end.
The building "El Caracol" is one of the few circular structures built by the Maya. It is believed to have been used for astronomical observations, therefore it is also called "Observatory".
On the west side is a staircase whose balustrades are adorned with serpents heads. The total height of the monument is 75 feet or just under 23 meters.
A small temple bearing many masks in the Las Monjas complex ("La Iglesia").
The Temple of the Warriors is one of the most impressive and important monuments at Chichén Itzá. Here again from the top of the Kukulcán pyramid.
The square Venus platform or temple with stairs on each side has a side length of 25 meters. The head of the snake protrudes from the square balustrades. On the panels are bas-reliefs of the planet Venus - hence the name of the platform. In the depressions Venus is also depicted with jaguar claws emerging from the mouth of a feathered serpent. The platform was originally painted with different colors.
The temple consists of four platforms, flanked on the south and west sides by 200 round and square columns. All square columns are carved in bas-relief, with Toltec warriors.
The central temple also shows bas-reliefs of warriors. Furthermore eagles and jaguars devouring human hearts. On top is a statue of Chacmool.
The large cenote at Chichén Itzá is 165 to 200 feet or 50 to 61 meters in diameter. The pre-Hispanic Maya made ceremonial offerings and threw valuable objects into the cenote. Later, human sacrifices were also made. The sacrifices were warriors, children and virgins thrown to the bottom of the cenote. Various platforms were built at the edge of the cenote for this purpose.
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