Archaeological Sites and Buildings of the Mayans in Mexico, in Chichen Itza - Research Paper Example

Lecturer Mexico: Chichen Itza, the Temple of the Warriors and El Castillo (Kukulkan’s Pyramid) Introduction Chichen Itza is found inMexico, Yucatan State, and it is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the country. The term Chichen Itza is Mayan, and it means “the mouth at well of Itza”. Many archaeological sites are found within Chichen Itza; one of these sites is the Kukulkan Pyramid; the pyramid is also called El Castillo which means the castle. The height of the Kukulkan Pyramid is exactly 24m.; on 7th July 2007 in Portugal, the pyramid site was elected among the Seven Wonders of the World. All the archaeological sites found inside the Chichen Itza have elements of the Mayan Civilization and culture in many different forms. Chichen Itza, the Temple of the Warriors Many archaeologists, towards the end of the 1980s, explained that the political organization of the city was structured in a "multepal" system where political ruling was through the council made up of members of ruling lineages. In terms of economy, Chichen Itza was a major player; this is because it was a major regional capital controlling trade in Yucatan in the period AD 900 and AD 1050, with Isla Cerritos as a major trading port. The city also participated in the circum-peninsular trade via its Isla Cerritos port; thus it obtained resources from distant lands; for example, obsidian was obtained from Central Mexico, and gold was obtained from the Southern Central America (Schele and David 13). The initial site core layout of the Chichen Itza developed during the period 750 AD and 900 AD; final layout was implemented after the year 900 AD, and in the 10th Century the city became a regional trade capital, controlling trade area between the North coast and Central Yucatan and its trade power spreading to the peninsula east and west coasts. Chichen Itza prominence rose at around 600 AD; however the site became a regional power at the later stages of the Late Classic period, and initial stages of Terminal Classic period. The site controlled and dominated socio-political and economic aspects in Maya lowlands in the North (Castañeda 298). The rise of Chichen Itza relates with the decline of major centers in the lowlands of Southern Maya. Archaeological data shows that Chichen Itza influence reduced considerably as from 1250 CE; Mayan chronicles indicate that in the 13th century, ruler of Mayapan (Hunac Ceel) conquered the city, Chichen Itza. In the year 1526, a charter was granted by the King of Spain to Francisco de Montejo so as conquer Yucatan.Montejo led alarge Indo-Spanish army which concoured the Yucatan Peninsula. The Spanish King thereafter gave a land grant and by 1588, Chichen Itza was composed of mainly cattle ranches. Chichen Itza is believed to be one of the major and largest cities in Maya; with a dense architecture at the core of the site, covering approximately 5 square Km. area (Coggins 93). Beyond this area, smaller architecture proven to be residential, extend up to a distance which is not known. Chichen Itza was built using broken terrain which was leveled artificially so as to build strong architectural groups; and finally leveling areas for the Las Monjas, the Osario, the Castillo Pryamid and the main Southwest groups. The architectural site has many stone buildings which have been preserved and restored (Demarest 47). The architectural buildings were connected through a network of paved causeways referred to as sacbeob. The architectural styles identified in these buildings the Chenes styles and the Puuc style of the Yucatan Peninsula. The buildings were grouped in sets which include; the Central Group which has Caracol and Las Monjas sites; the Osario Group which has the Osario Pyramid and the Xtoloc temple; and the Great North Group which has the Great Ball Court and the El Castillo monument. The interest to modern exploration of the Chichen Itza began in 1843 through a book by John Lloyd Stephens called Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. The book describes Stephens’ tour of the Maya cities; and prompted further explorations. Chichen Itza was further visited in 1860 by Desire Charnay; he took data which was used in publishing Cités et ruines Américaines in 1863. In the year 2009, Yucatec archaeologists began excavations in order to study El Castillo historic constructions; through the supervision of Rafael Cobos. El Castillo (Kukulkan’s Pyramid) El Castillo’s design is believed to symbolize the Mayan Calender. The pyramid has four broad faces which have staircase that have 91 steps and the top part or platform. The platform is considered as an additional step hence, the pyramid has 365 steps in total; one step symbolizes one day of a year. The staircases ascend at 45 degrees in reference to the horizontal; angle of inclination of the pyramid is 53.3 degrees, while the steps are sloped at 73 degrees. The pyramid has nine major platforms which symbolize 18 months, and the number of panels, 52, represents number of years a round date occurs in a calendar. Kukulkan’s Pyramid is a very unique architectural site. During the equinoxes, March 21st and September 22nd, the sun projects a unique light pattern in the northern stairway in the late afternoon for few hours. This adulating light pattern is due to the angle between the sun and the edges made by the nine steps. The resultant light triangles combine with huge snake heads carvings found at the bottom of the stairs; this creates an image of a huge snake moving down the pyramid (Smith and Marilyn 386). Also, a view at the western side of the pyramid during winter solstice indicates images of the sun climbing the staircase edge, resting for duration at the top of the temple, and finally descending down the other opposite edge. The pyramid and other major structures at the archaeological site are aligned at around 19 degrees east to the magnetic north. The Mayans were very successful in completing their pyramid in Chichen Itza. The structure combines very many aspects of the Mayan society; for example mathematics, geometry, religion, art and philosophy. The most important idea of the pyramid is how the sun reflects equinoxes and solstices with high accuracy (Cocom 71). The solar events; two equinoxes and two solstices are measured using light and shadow patterns shown on the surface of the El Castillo at different times of the year. These patterns were used by the Mayans to predict harvesting or planting seasons, and best dates for ceremonial activities. Conclusion The Mayans also had several other archaeological sites and buildings, which are of tourism importance in Mexico, in Chichen Itza. For example; the Observatory is a complicated circular structure which was used by the Mayans in the study of the stars, the Ball Court was used for sporting purposes in Chichen Itza and it contained carvings that indicated rules of the game, and the sacred well which provided water to residents of Chichen Itza. Works Cited Castañeda, Quetzil. E. In the Museum of Maya Culture: Touring Chichen Itzá, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006. Print. Cocom, Juan Castillo, It was Simply Their World: Yucated Maya PRInces in YucaPAN and the Politics of Respect, Critique of Anthropology, Vol. 25(2), 2005. Pp131-155 Coggins, Clemency Chase. Cenote of Sacrifice: Maya Treasures from the Sacred Well at Chichen Itza. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2000. Print. Demarest, Arthur A. Ideology in Ancient Maya Cultural Evolution: The dynamics of Galactic Polities. In the Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica: A Reader. Michael Smith, E. & Marilyn A. Masson (eds.). Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. pp. 279-299. Schele, Linda; and David Freidel. A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. New York: Harper Perennial, 2008. Print. Read More