Scientists have solved one of the mysteries of the ancient Maya civilization: the mysterious city of Chichen Itza

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

What we see is not always what we expect to see, be it a natural phenomenon or the work of human hands. This statement is very often true of existing archaeological discoveries, when new facts make old findings appear in a completely unexpected light. For example, the ancient Mayan city, Chichen Itza, on the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula is a place carefully studied by scientists along and across, a place. Nevertheless, Chichen Itza holds many more secrets. One of them is the mysterious shadows cast by the ancient citadel.

During the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, when the sun moves from east to west, light plays at the corners of the northeastern staircase of the pyramid of Kukulkan in such a way that a unique phenomenon is created. The rays of the sun project the shadows of the corners of the pyramid onto the vertical northeastern border of the staircase balustrade. Visually creating the effect that a wavy shadow of a giant snake is slowly creeping down the stairs. This phenomenon of light and shadow lasts exactly three hours and twenty-two minutes. This phenomenon symbolizes the changing seasons.

Thousands of tourists gather there every year to witness this event. This extraordinary phenomenon brings people into a state of community, when they are united by something that transcends time and culture. In our time, when there is such progress in science and technology, everything changes so quickly, people are fascinated by such things. How could ancient people create something so beautiful and majestic without modern technical means? After all, the builders were mistaken by only a fraction of a degree - such an effect could not have been achieved!

And this is just one of the shadows of Chichen Itza. There are many others associated with major and minor buildings. The ancient city was planned as the center of the world, where Kukulkan was located at the intersection of four lines - the cardinal points. The temple pyramid is mythologically located at the center of time and space. The corners of this structure are lined up in such a way that it makes Kukulkan a monumental solar dial.

The name of the deity is Quetzalcoatl, which translates as “the feathered serpent Quetzal”. Archaeological evidence shows that the feathered serpent ideology spread during the late Maya period, up to the 10th century, throughout Mesoamerica. It is believed that Kukulkan represents the Mountain of Creation, with the head and mouth of feathered serpents. In general, the serpent symbol is widespread in the iconography and wall paintings of Mayan temples. The snake shedding its skin was a symbol of renewal and life.

The Maya pyramid of Kukulkan played the role of a kind of calendar, or, at least, the very principle of the calendar system was laid in the basis of the pyramid. Each of the 52 panels of the pyramid temple contained in the nine steps of the terrace is equal to the number of years in the Mayan and Toltec agrarian calendars. The nine levels of the pyramid are a reminder of the nine steps to Xibalba, the underworld. First of all, the pyramid of Kukulkan is an instrument dedicated to the deities of nature and their role in the alternation of day and night, as well as life and death.

The main doorway at the top of the pyramid opens to the north. The four staircases ascending to the structure, one on each side, have 91 steps each, which equals 364 steps, which from the top is 365 days of the solar year, haab, for the Maya. The northern staircase is the main sacred path, and it is on its northeastern balustrade that the sun casts triangular shadows.

The huge square that surrounds El Castillo on four sides is part of the image of the Primordial Sea of Creation, from which, according to the Mayan tradition, all life at the beginning of time arose. The northern part of the square on which Kukulkan stands was also the site of the main ceremonies.

Behind it is a huge wall of skulls - tsompantli. On a stand for the skulls, a structure of wooden pillars was built over a stone structure, similar to a scaffold, on which hundreds of skulls were exhibited, sacrificed to the bloodthirsty Mayan gods, people.

On the east side of the square is the massive Temple of the Warriors and a ball court to the west. This site was extremely important for the Maya - ritual games were held there. According to their beliefs, people and deities of the underworld fought for supremacy in the real world. This reflected the struggle between life and death. The Maya also believed that the sun did not go down, but continues on its way, like a "black sun" at night in the underworld, in order to become famous again the next morning.

In the north of Kukulkan there is another interesting structure - a cenote. It is a sacred well of oval shape, very impressive in size. A wide road leads to the well. The Maya used the cenote in the sacrifice ceremony. There, the victims were purified, and besides, they had to be the best representatives of the tribe. These were people in their prime, young, not sickly or crippled. For Chaak, the god of rain and thunder, this is the best, for he would not accept anything less.

The entire socio-economic organization of the ancient Maya communities revolved around agriculture. In these latitudes, these are two harvest seasons. Hence the Maya belief structure and religious organization that adhered to their seasonal and daily partnership with nature. The gods and deities from their pantheon were the ones who ruled over the forces of nature: the sun, rain and flora.

Their religion describes the creation of the universe by the gods, who, after three unsuccessful attempts, managed to create a man from corn dough. First of all, it was believed that, simultaneously with the deities, the ancestors took part in every stage of individual and family daily life.

The serpent, whose images and sculptures fill Chichen Itzu, is not just an image of an animal. For the Maya, this is a kind of metaphor. After all, the body of a serpent, when it moves, is comparable to puffs of smoke after self-sacrifice by members of the nobility or priesthood. After bloodletting, the person's blood fell onto the bark, which was then burned. It was believed that the swirling smoke carries the prayers of the seeker to the ancestors and deities, seeking their guidance in order to live another day in this dangerous world. The swirling smoke, reminiscent of a snake, was a reminder of the volatility and unpredictability of life.

Planting and harvesting were the major day-to-day concerns of the communities. Therefore, favorable weather conditions and rains were very important. After all, the consequences of a bad harvest: hunger, death and the return of suffering and fear. The deep mystical connection of the milpero (farmer) with corn, not only with its use as an actual means of subsistence and subsistence, is still a way of life completely alien to non-traditional communities.

In the hallway of the inner temple, a red jaguar-shaped seat was found that could serve as a throne for the high priest. There was a turquoise mosaic disc on the seat. The jaguar is colored red, the teeth are made of flint, the eyes and spots on the body are made of small jade discs.

The cave called Maya Balamku or "Jaguar God" is another of the shadows of Chichen Itza, its ancient name is unknown. The jaguar is a central mythological figure in Mesoamerican and other American myths, due to the belief in the animal's ability to enter and exit the underworld at will. Mayan pottery was found in deeper parts of Balamku, which predated the first arrival of the Toltecs - the city may be much older than previously thought. This important discovery will undoubtedly help rewrite the history of Chichen Itza.

All the traditions of the ancient Maya were quite comparable to those of today. They symbolically demonstrate the same concern for the daily hardships of life and the dependence of society on agriculture. The pyramid found inside Kukulkan, the so-called "inner", did not cast such shadows as those we see now. It may have served as a simple demonstration of the calendar change of seasons.

Much more can be said about the shadows of Chichen Itza and the most ancient city. More remains to be discovered, above and below ground, as the work in the Balamku Cave shows us. In addition, excavation programs on the Great Square, begun in 2009, have revealed buried structures that were built before the appearance of the Kukulkan pyramid. By that time, it was already known about the pyramid inside. The incredible discoveries of the secrets of the ancient city and its wonders will surely continue. Chichen Itza impresses with its scale and architecture. Everything in the city is thought out in the smallest detail. This makes it even more interesting why this magnificent city was abandoned. Hopefully, this mystery of history will eventually be solved.

If you are interested in the history of the mysterious Mayan civilization, read more information about this in our article. archaeologists have discovered the ancient Mayan city: the find may shed light on the decline of an ancient mysterious civilization.