Categories
Cave Historical Swim Travel

Chichen Itza, not Chicken Pizza

Chichen Itza
I thought it was only culturally insensitive American’s who call this holy Mayan site “Chicken Pizza”. I was wrong. The tour guide called it that throughout our trip. What a sad day!

Recognize this structure? It’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World; it’s the Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chichen Itza in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The math and astronomy and symbolism which make it a “wonder” are extensive. An overly long-winded tour guide laid it all out in detail. Information overload! All I can recite back is my impression: “Wow!”

Suffice to say, Chichen Itza once had over 400 structures and was the principal city of the Mayan civilization. It was the ceremonial heart of these people and was populated with religious leaders. Famous for so many things from its observatory, its pyramid, its ballcourt, and its war temple to its sacred well, its blood sacrifice, and its scale.

Chichen Itza

Only seven percent has been restored but it’s enough to blow you away. They’re discovering new things all the time and we saw excavation of an entirely new level of the pyramid. Our only disappointment was how limited access was to the structures. My expectations of full access were set in 1984 when last I visited. Obviously much had changed.

Chichen Itza and Cenotes
First cenotes then sites around Chichen Itza. The vertical “hoop” I seem fixated on is one where if a ball swooshed in competition the winner had the honor of being decapitated. Fixated? Yes!

The Yucatan is an extensive flatland just above sea level. It is made up of beds of coralline and porous limestone rocks. Where the surface is perforated natural sinkholes and caverns can form. The Maya called these “cenotes” and it is around centotes where they built their cities and ceremonial centers. I mention this because commingled with pictures of Chichen Itza are pictures taken within or above cenotes. Pictured below is the most impressive.

Chichen Itza

linkedinmailby feather

By TravisGood

Speaker. Maker. Writer. Traveler. Father. Husband.

MakerCon Co-Chair (MakerCon.com)
Maker City San Diego Roundtable Member
San Diego Maker Faire Producer (SDMakerFaire.org)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *