mexico part three: chichen itza

said to have been one of the two most significant ancient mayan cities of its time (the other being tikal in guatemala), chichen itza is certainly otherworldly. entrance to the archaeological site resembled something out of disney world, with large looming structures surrounding masses of people and vendors lining the walkways. the site’s popularity is justified, given the impressive pyramids, famous ballcourt, and the preservation of intricate carvings and coloration of these ancient structures. although slightly overwhelming, it is well worth a visit.

the high temple at chichen itza

cenotes are abundant in the yucatan peninsula. they are pools of crystal clear water formed by channels of underground rivers and caves. the mayans believed them to be sacred and made sacrifices to the gods through cenotes. an abundance of jewels and ornaments were found in this particular cenote, many of which can now be seen in the archaeological museum in merida.

coy is astonished at the intricacy of these carvings at the ballcourt. the carvings depict ballplayers in full costume and the detail work is somewhat mindblowing compared to what we have seen in belize. no squinting or tilting of the head necessary here. you can really see the images. pretty spectacular.

what you see at chichen itza is only a small portion of the ancient city. archaeologists have only excavated 1 of 15 square miles. there is still work to be done. here we see mexican archaeologists hard at work. (i’m kidding. these guys were on some sort of landscaping mission and humored me by letting me take their photo.)

more intricate awesomeness adorning incredible structures.

a false archway. apparently true archways will collapse if the center piece is removed, whereas this one can support itself without the center connector piece.