About 120 kilometers southeast of the city of Merida are the ruins of the ancient city of Chichen Itza. It is the most famous archaeological site of the Mayan period and the Yucatan state.
We continue the series of stories about the pyramids of the world from LifeGlobe. Last time we talked about the underwater pyramids of Yonaguni Island, now came through the story of the great city of the Mayan Indians, their culture and structures.
Contrary to popular belief, the Maya were not an empire - they were a group of autonomous cities, often interacting with other states in the region. Chichen Itza and many other important Mayan cities were built in accordance with the sacred beliefs of the Indians - cities were built, reflecting the position of various astronomical objects of the night sky
So, who did build this ancient city and its pyramids? The Maya were an ancient civilization of southern Mexico and other South American countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and El Salvador. Nowadays, about 6 million Mayan descendants live here, speaking many different dialects
The Maya people were very well versed in astronomy, during the first millennium AD they studied in detail and mapped the movement of the sun, moon, as well as other planets and stars. Their religion and mythology was based on this, explaining the past, present and future. The Maya also invented a brilliant mathematical system, a writing system, and a combination of three precise interconnected calendars.
In addition to the city of Chichen Itza, the Maya are also famous for a number of other temple cities, such as Palenque, Uxmal, Copan, etc. Many of these cities have been restored by archaeologists, while some remain underground and await their turn. It is also worth noting that the Maya were able to travel long distances across the ocean by developing a sophisticated method of navigating the stars.
Let's turn specifically to the history of the construction of the city of Chichen Itza. The Proto-Maya tribes inhabited the flat plateau of the Yucatan Peninsula for 8000 years. Archaeologists believe that this place has been a major pilgrimage site for millennia.
Chichen Itza became the capital and social center of the Maya in the eighth century. First, the coastal territories of the Yucatan were inhabited, then the settlements spread over the entire peninsula. Thanks to two large sources of clean water that do not dry out throughout the year, Chichen Itza became the most powerful Mayan city
In the 10th century, the city was captured by the Toltecs, making Chichen Itza the capital of the Toltec state, but was later conquered by the combined army of the three Mayan cities. After the 12th century, the Yucatan was mysteriously deserted, as the Spanish conquerors destroyed the Mayan manuscripts and the clergy. By the time of the Spanish conquests in the 16th century, Chichen Itza was solid ruins
As a result of excavations on the territory of the city, many architectural monuments were discovered, in particular, the famous pyramids of Chichen Itza. The most prominent among them is the Temple of Kukulkan - a pyramid of 9 steps, 24 meters high. It is surprising that on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the rays of the sun illuminate the stairs of the pyramid in such a way that they form the image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a 37-meter snake, crawling as the sun moves towards its head, carved in stone at the base stairs
On a small pyramid of 4 steps is the Temple of the Warriors of Chichen Itza, adjacent to the Temple of the Jaguars and the Mayan Observatory called Caracol. Surprisingly, the Mayan Indians played football. Naturally, not in the form in which it is customary to play this game now, but nevertheless, during excavations, 7 large fields for a ball game were discovered. The largest field was 135 meters long
We also managed to preserve the statues of the gods, with very interesting detail and style of execution, many craft items and various utensils. A sacred well 50 meters deep has also survived, which was probably used for sacrifices.
In our time, the Mexican government has bought a plot of land of 83 hectares, on which the city of Chichen Itza is located, in order to preserve it. It is one of the main attractions of Mexico, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In 2007, the city was recognized as one of the new seven wonders of the world.
The Aztecs had similar cities in Mexico, for example, the city of Teotihuacan, which looks no less majestic.
Chichen Itza - ancient Mayan city
Chichen Itza(Spanish. Chichen itza) Is an ancient Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). The name translated from the Mayan language means "Near the entrance to the well of Itza" or "The mouth of the well of the sorcerers of water." In a literal translation, "chi" from the Maya language is translated as "mouth", "chen" is a "well", "itza" is the name of the Mayan tribe, according to legend, they were the first to appear on our land. According to archaeologists and anthropologists, this city was built on the so-called "place of power".
This ancient Mayan city was founded by the Itza tribe around the 7th century. During the reign of King Kakupakal, in the second half of the 9th century, the city became the foremost power in the region. During this period, a number of majestic structures in the "Puuc" style were built, such as the palace and the observatory, which the Spanish conquerors later called Caracol (Snail).
In the 10th century, the Itza tribe suffered defeats in a war with their neighbors and left the city for a while. After some time, itza, in alliance with the Toltecs, under the leadership of the priest Quetzalcoatl (Kukulkan), conquered Chichen. In 1047, the halach-vinik Pochekishtsoy turned Chichen Itza into the capital of his new Tolteko-May state. During this period, new buildings appeared in the city, such as:
1. The step pyramid of Kukulkan, 24 meters high;
2. Temple of Warriors on 4-step pyramids;
3. Jaguar Temple;
4. Group of a thousand columns;
5. Sacred cenote - a well 50 meters deep for sacrifices;
6. Large 135-meter ball field and other buildings.
In 1194, in the battle of Chichencheen, the Chichena troops were defeated by the Ushmalites, the high priest of Kukulkan Hapaykan was captured and executed. After 222 days, the capital was captured and burned by the Mayapans, commanded by Hunakkeel. The ruler of Chichen Itza, Chakshibchak, fled to Peten Itza.
After 1244, Chichen Itza completely lost its independence and the city was ruled by representatives of the Mayapan. At the end of the 15th century, the city was finally deserted, leaving behind a number of major architectural monuments of the Mayan and Toltec eras. Also preserved are statues of gods with characteristic Maya plastic forms, reliefs with geometric and floral ornaments, and other works of art and crafts.
Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the second most popular tourist destination in Mexico. When traveling to Mexico, be sure to include Chichen Itza in your itinerary. In 2007, the Mayan city was added to the list of new wonders of the world.
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In the north of the Mexican Yucatan, the largest center of the Maya people, Chichen Itza, was once located. The city in translation meaning approximately "The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe" was founded in the 7th century AD. In the 10th century, the Toltec army captured this city-state and formed its capital here. In 1178, the city was captured by neighboring city-states, and from 1194 it fell into complete desolation. Now no one can say what caused the residents to leave. The Spaniards who came here in the 16th century came across only the ruins of Chichen Itza.
Excavations carried out in our time at the site of this ancient city have made it possible to find many interesting architectural monuments from the culture of that time. One of the most famous was the Kukulkan temple, which is a 9-step pyramid. Another interesting building is the Temple of the Warriors on a 4-step pyramid, decorated with paintings. There were also stadiums for fierce ball games, a 50-meter well for sacrifices, a sacred cenote, an observatory of statues of local gods.
Stadium ball ring
It is interesting that the land with these structures was in private hands until 2010. But the competent actions of the government allowed it to be returned to the state for $ 17.8 million. The ancient Mayan city is very popular with tourists. A monument of this magnitude, of course, was taken under the control of UNESCO. And in 2007 he was awarded the title of one of the new wonders of the world.
Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
The main interesting architectural buildings in Chichen Itza were built in the so-called Mexican period - the time after the capture of the city by the Toltecs. At the same time, the main temple of the Mayan city was built - the temple of Kukulkan. The temple was dedicated to the Toltec god Kukulkan, whom they called the Feathered Serpent.
The temple, due to its expressiveness and popularity, has become a symbol of the whole of Mexico. Every inhabitant of our planet has seen this 24-meter nine-step pyramid at least once in his life.
The building has a square plan, massive appearance. It is not surprising that the Spaniards who came here called it a castle. The temple is set on a huge terrace (18 hectares) along with many other famous structures of Chichen Itzi. On the right is the Temple of the Warriors, on the left is the Temple of the Jaguars.
There are four staircases leading to the top of the temple, oriented to the cardinal points. The stairs are accompanied by a balustrade starting with a snake's head. On the days of the equinox, the lighting creates an interesting effect: it seems as if the Serpent of Kukulkan begins to crawl out of its den.
Snake Head
In addition to its orientation to the cardinal points, the temple is distinguished by other astronomical details. There are 91 steps on each staircase, which in total gives 364. And if we add the upper platform to this number, we get the total number of days in a year - 365. The nine main steps of the pyramid are separated by a staircase, which actually doubles them to 18. With the number 18 Maya have associated the number of months in a year. Each wall has 52 reliefs - the number of years in the calendar cycle.
At the top of this large pyramid is the temple itself with four entrances. The main entrance to the sanctuary is to the north. There are two columns depicting a snake. Inside there are two more pairs of the same. In the old days, it was here that terrible human sacrifices were performed.
Kukulkan temple building
An interesting fact will be the presence of another of the same nine-step pyramid in the main pyramid. The entrance was found relatively recently, and it was here that the symbol of Mayan power was hidden - the Jaguar Mat.
Jaguar throne
The Jaguar Mat is a ruler's throne, carved out of stone, resembling a jaguar in shape. The throne is inlaid with 73 jade discs in the form of jaguar spots. The eyes of the beast are filled with them. Topiltsin Quetzalcoatl, the founder of the Toltecs, is attributed to the first owners of the throne.
Temple of the Warriors in Chichen Itza
Another famous temple of the city of Chichen Itza is located to the right of the pyramid of Kukulkan. The Temple of the Warriors is also located on a pyramid, the approaches to which are guarded by a detachment of patterned columns.
This structure completely copies the temple of Quetzalcoatl in Tollan. The leader of the Toltecs, Topiltsin Quetzalcoatl, lost this city before uniting the tribes and conducting major conquests. So that in the new place much would remind him of its former glory, and a copy of this temple was built.
In front of the stairs of the temple there are 60 patterned columns with a height of 2.6 meters, arranged in four rows. Earlier on these columns there was a roof, from which now, alas, nothing remains. Everywhere in the temple there are images of warriors - hence its name. As well as in all Toltec temples, human sacrifices were performed here.
The pyramid of this temple is smaller - only 11.5 meters and consists of five steps. The balustrades of the central staircase are decorated with stone male figures. The top is decorated with the temple itself, which consists of two rooms - the front hall and the sanctuary itself. The entrance to the sanctuary is decorated with columns with snakes already familiar to us. The sanctuary houses an altar for sacrifices supported by human figures. Nearby stands the idol of the demon Chak-Mool, holding a dish on which the priests threw off the hearts of people. There are not so cruel assumptions of researchers about this idol. Some also believe that the dish serves as offerings in the form of intoxicating drinks, and the idol itself is the god of rain or the guardian of the temple.
Location: Mexico
Main attractions: temple of Kukulkan, temple of warriors, temple of jaguars, observatory, sacred cenote
Coordinates: 20 ° 41 "01.0" N 88 ° 34 "08.4" W
Short description
The ancient Mayan city - Chichen Itza, located in Mexico in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula, is steeped in sinister glory. It is here, 300 meters north of the main buildings of the city, that the Sacred Cenote, or "Well of Death", about 50 meters deep, is located at the bottom of which, according to Mayan legends, the rain god Chak lived.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza from a bird's eye view
To appease God and cause rain, the Maya performed human sacrifices, throwing the most beautiful girls at the bottom of the well. Following the victims, rich gifts were thrown into the cenote - gold, jade, rock crystal, mother-of-pearl, amber, copper, onyx, etc.
The legend of the sacrifices was confirmed by Mexican scientists who sank to the bottom of the well. Although the well has not been used by the Maya for a long time, many people still believe in its supernatural power. It is believed that if you throw a coin into the water and make a wish, then it will certainly come true.
Temple of Kukulkan
A brief history of Chichen Itza
The name of the ancient city of Chichen Itza is translated as "Well of the Itza tribe." The city was founded in the 7th century AD. NS. as a Mayan religious center, and by the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs who came to Yucatan from central Mexico, and by the 11th century it became the capital of the Toltec kingdom. In 1178, the Indian ruler Hunak Keel sacked the Mayan sanctuary, turning it into a pitiful heap of ruins. The city fell into decay and became depopulated.
Temple of Warriors
Return of the Feathered Serpent
Chichen Itza is considered the most famous and best restored Mayan city. The main temple of Chichen Itza is dedicated to the deity Kukulkan - "The Feathered Serpent". The 30-meter pyramid of Kukulkan rises on a huge stone terrace. Four staircases, oriented to the cardinal points, lead to the top of the ritual structure, where the ancient Maya performed sacrifices. The stairs are framed by a balustrade that begins at the bottom with a serpent's head carved in stone and continues in the form of a curving serpentine body to the top of the pyramid.
Observatory
Every year on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, that is, March 20 and September 22, you can observe the unique phenomenon of the "Feathered Serpent": the sun illuminates the balustrade in such a way that the shadow of the "Feathered Serpent" is formed on the pyramid, which creeps down and disappears exactly 3 hours 22 minutes.
All four staircases of the temple have 91 steps, and together with the platform-terrace connecting them together, there are 365 steps (91 x 4 + 1), which corresponds to the number of days in a year.
Jaguar temple
Treasures of the pyramid of Kukulkan
In one of the secret rooms of the Kukulkan pyramid, archaeologists discovered the "Jaguar Mat" and the ritual figure of Chuck Mool with a flat bowl on his stomach, on which the heart of the sacrifice was burned. The "Jaguar Mat" is a throne carved out of stone in the shape of a jaguar body and painted a fiery red color. The spots on the skin of the animal are made of jade stones. The eyes are also jade, and the fangs in the bared mouth are carved from volcanic stone.
Large ball field
Other attractions of Chichen Itza
Important buildings of Chitzen Itza are the Temple of Warriors and the Temple of the Jaguars, whose walls are decorated with paintings... So, in the Temple of the Jaguars, images of jaguars and eagles devouring human hearts are carved. On the south side of the Temple of Warriors is the "Group of a Thousand Columns". It consists of the ruins of four colonnades that form a giant rectangle. There is in Chichen Itza and its own observatory "Caracol", designed to observe the planets and in particular for Venus.
Sacred cenote
It is a circular building with small windows, towering on a double stone platform. A spiral staircase was built inside this structure, which has a spiral shape like a mollusk shell. Hence the name of the observatory - "Caracol", which is translated from Spanish as "snail". One of the oldest buildings in the city - the Nuns' Palace is interesting for its stone carvings and masks of the god Chak. Chichen Itza has seven ball courts, including the largest "stadium" the Maya have ever built.
Venus platform
Since the ball game was of ritual significance for the Maya, the losers were sacrificed. The inhabitants of Chichen Itza were excellent craftsmen and artists. This is evidenced by the sculptures of deities preserved in the city, bas-reliefs with plant and geometric ornaments carved on them, handicrafts, etc.
In the north of Yukotan, in Mexico, there are unique buildings of the ancient city of the Indian people Itza, who once declared their power and subjugated other tribes. "Chichen Itza" means in the Mayan language - "At the mouth of the well Itza" (itz - a sorcerer, ha - water). In the old manuscript code of Chilam-Bolam, consisting of nine collections, another, more ancient name of the city is mentioned, but because of the forgotten spelling it is not possible to decipher it exactly.
Historical background
Presumably, the city of Chichen Itza was founded around 455, during the heyday of the Mayan civilization, which became famous for its culture, architecture and quite significant, for that time, knowledge in mathematics and astronomy.
The buildings erected in Chichen Itza can be divided into two parts. One of them is the construction of the 6th-7th centuries in the n. NS. This is the culture of the ancient Maya. Buildings characteristic of the Toltec culture belong to a different group. They captured the city in the 10th – 11th centuries AD. and after a while they made it their capital. But already in 1178 Chichen Itza was literally defeated by the troops of three united cities: Itzmal, Mayapan, Uxmal under the command of Huanak Keel.
The Spanish invading Mexico burned Indian manuscripts. But, despite the loss of historical data, archaeologists still managed to establish that in the XIII century the city was plundered, and could no longer continue to influence the economy of the nearby regions. In this regard, Chichen Itza left the rich and noble townspeople, and after them the city was left by the rest of the inhabitants. The Spanish conquerors discovered an absolutely empty city, around which there were small Indian settlements, their inhabitants treated the ruins of the ancient city as a sacred place. Centuries have passed, but until now the exact reason for the transformation of the once mighty city into an abandoned and forgotten by literally everyone has not been established.
Sights of the Holy City
On the territory of the ancient city of Chichen Itza, archaeologists worked for a long time, who discovered the unique structures of the Indians to the whole world:
1. The famous temple of Kukulkan.
2. Temple of the Jaguars with unique wall paintings.
3. The Temple of Warriors with a base of 40 m, erected on a 4-step pyramid.
4. Group of a thousand columns - the ruins of 4 colonnades arranged in a rectangular shape.
5. Karakol is an ancient observatory.
6. Seven stadiums built for ball games and competitions, the largest being 135 meters long.
7. Sacred cenote - a natural well, 50 m deep, was necessary for making sacrifices to the god of forests and fields Yumkash.
Near the historical monuments, statues of the gods were discovered, made with stylization characteristic of the Mayan civilization, various reliefs, which at one time were adornments of buildings and religious centers, as well as artisan products.
The main temple of the city
The main structures of Chichen Itza were built in the period later called Mexican. The Toltecs, who seized the area, erected a temple, which became the main one. It was created in honor of the Toltec god Kukulkan or the Feathered Serpent. Today it has become a real symbol of Mexico.
The building is a nine-step pyramid, 24 m high. Its base is square and very massive. The planning of the temple used the astronomical knowledge of the Indians, as well as the number of their calendar cycles. Four staircases with balustrades lead to the top of the structure, which start from the head of a snake. The play of light on the days of the equinox allows one to observe the illusion that a powerful Serpent is slowly emerging from a secret hiding place.
The Kukulkan temple has four entrances. The main one, oriented to the north, has two columns in the form of snakes. There are exactly the same inside. This is a creepy place. Many years ago, human lives were sacrificed here.
Surprisingly, in the pyramid under the temple there is one more, the same, nine-stage, only smaller. The entrance to it was discovered by scientists quite recently. The discovered artifact that was hidden there is truly priceless. This is a symbol of Mayan power - the Jaguar Mat, the stone throne of the Supreme Ruler in the form of a jaguar. Inlaid with 73 jade discs, which are spots on the hide. Supposedly the first master of the throne was Topiltsin Quetzalcoatl, the progenitor of the Toltecs.
To preserve the heritage left by the ancient people, the Yukotan government made a deal with the owner of the land. 83 hectares were purchased, along with the sacred city. UNESCO has awarded Chichen Itza the status of a World Cultural Heritage Site. Its attractions are visited by tourists from all over the world, and for those who are interested in the history of the civilizations of our planet, this is a very important place, with a huge amount of unexplored information.
