These record that Chichén lords celebrated a ritual in September 869 to ensure the city’s prosperity.
The curling snout of the rain-god Chac is depicted repeatedly in rows at the Nunnery.
This small platform may have been used for rituals by the warrior Orders of the Jaguars and Eagles. Its carvings show these animals tearing open human victims to eat their hearts.
Reclining Chac Mool figures were fallen warriors delivering offerings to the gods, from food and jewels to the hearts of sacrificial victims. The Chac Mool in the temple of the Castillo lies before a painted stone jaguar throne.
Carved panels in this temple connect the foundation of Chichén Itzá with First Mother and First Father, the creators of the world.
As defeated ball game players have their heads cut off, seven spurts of blood shoot from their necks and transform into vines and flowers.
The giant feathered serpents at the Castillo probably represented Vision Serpents but they have also been associated with the central Mexican serpent-god Quetzalcoatl.
Covered in carved skulls on all four sides, a low platform near the Ball Court was probably used to display the heads of sacrificial victims.
A “picture gallery” of the men of Chichén. Most are of warriors in their battle regalia, but there are also some priests and bound captives.
Placed between the Chac-heads on the Iglesia (“church”) at the Nunnery, these animals represented the four spirits that held up the sky at the cardinal points (north, south, east, west) in Mayan mythology.
The ancient Mexican ball game can be traced back to before 1500 BC. It features in Mayan myths such as the story of the hero-twins Hunahpu and Xbalanqué, who play the game with the Lords of Death for days and nights, defying the forces of destiny. There were ball courts in all Mayan cities. No one knows exactly how the game was played, but it is thought that there were two main forms. One was played by two or four players on the older, smaller courts, and the aim was to keep the ball from touching the ground and get it past your opponent(s) and out at the end of the court. The other form corresponded to much bigger courts, such as at Chichén Itzá, and was played by teams of seven who scored in big rings on either side of the court. In either style players could not touch the ball with hands or feet, but only with shoulders, chest and hips, so scoring was very hard. Games had great ritual significance, and sometimes, but not always, losing players were sacrificed to the gods.
1. Monte Albán, Oaxaca
2. Palenque, Chiapas
3. Toniná, Chiapas
4. Uxmal, Yucatán
5. Chichén Itzá, Yucatán
6. Cobá, Quintana Roo
7. Kohunlich, Quintana Roo
8. Calakmul, southern Campeche
9. Tikal, Guatemala
10. Copán, Honduras
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