CHICHEN ITZA MAYA RUINS MEXICO

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Chichen Itza was a major regional focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called “Mexicanized” and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The presence of central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest from central Mexico, but most contemporary interpretations view the presence of these non-Maya styles more as the result of cultural diffusion.

Archaeological data, such as evidence of burning at a number of important structures and architectural complexes, suggest that Chichen Itza's collapse was violent. Following the decline of Chichen Itza's hegemony, regional power in the Yucatán shifted to a new center at Mayapan.
Northern Yucatán is arid, and the interior has no above-ground rivers. There are two large, natural sink holes, called cenotes, that could have provided plentiful water year round at Chichen, making it attractive for settlement. Of the two cenotes, the "Cenote Sagrado" or Sacred Cenote, is the more famous. According to post-Conquest sources (Maya and Spanish), pre-Columbian Maya sacrificed objects and human beings into the cenote as a form of worship to the Maya rain god Chaac. American Consul Edward Herbert Thompson dredged the Cenote Sagrado from 1904 to 1910, and recovered artifacts of gold, jade, pottery, and incense, as well as human remains. A recent study of human remains taken from the Cenote Sagrado found that they had wounds consistent with human sacrifice.

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Comments

[MegaDude]

Awesome!
Your blog is awesome! In Chichen Itza, can you say how crowded it was? Your pictures look as if there are not many tourists about... is this true? Also, were you able to climb any structures at Chichen Itza or were they all roped off? Thanks!!!

[lobitonomada]

Awesome...indeed
Aloha MegaDude! In response to your question...You are not allowed to climb any of the buildings at Chichen, they are all falling apart and I was one of the very first people in the park real early in the morning and As I was leaving, there were hordes of people people coming into the park and tons of tourist buses outside ready to disembark a bunch of what it seemed to be European tourist. I'll say the best time to enjoy this places is first thing in the morning without those pesky tourists (LOL) I hope I was able to help a little bit Aloha Giorgio