from wiki: Dominating the center of Chichén is the Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as "El Castillo" (the castle). Najera serves on the host committee for Maestro Cares, founded by singer Marc Anthony and producer Henry Cardenas; and on the advisory board for Corazon de Vida, providing aid to children in Mexico. An the mid-2000s, another temple was discovered below El Castillo. In the antechamber of the inner temple was found a red jaguar that may have served as a throne for the high priest. It was perceived that the serpent body as it moves, is comparable to the swirls of smoke after a self-sacrifice by members of the nobility or the priesthood. At the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, as it moves from east to west, sun light plays with the angles of the northeast stairway of the Kukulcán pyramid, called El Castillo in Spanish. Copyright © 2020 The Mexico Report. Meanwhile in the countryside, Maya gods and deities remained mostly unchanged, since the cult of Toltec deities centered in large towns and cities, while Cha’ak reigned supreme in the countryside. On the skull rack was a scaffold-like construction of wood poles built over the stone structure, on which hundreds of skulls of war captives and sacrificed victims were displayed. (El Castillo) The ruins of Chichen Itza lie about midway between the towns of Cancun and Merida on the Yukatan Peninsula Latitude 20°40'N Longitude 88°32'W. (HJPD / CC BY SA 3.0 ). View themexicoreport’s profile on Facebook, View themexicoreport’s profile on Twitter, View themexicoreport’s profile on Instagram, View themexicoreport’s profile on Pinterest, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), 2nd Real Heroes of Mexico Awardees Announced, ← Mexico – Hollywood’s Hot Spot for Celebrity Vacations, New Archaeological Discovery of 2,000-year-old Jaguar Adds to History of Mexico →. Researchers in 2015 learned that the pyramid most likely sits atop a 20m-deep cenote, which puts the structure at greater risk of collapsing. What we see is not always what we expect, whether from nature or man-made. There was no interaction with the deities of the underworld during secular or common games. The ancient Maya name for the god of agriculture, wind, and storms was Cha’ak with roots in the pre-Classic (1500BC). Dedicated to the serpent God Kukulcán it is also known by it’s Toltec name the "Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl".. Kukulcán is a feathered serpent deity closely related to the Aztec God Quetzalcoatl. Above all, Kukulcán is an instrument dedicated to the deities of nature and their role in the repeated night-day alternances, as well as that of life and death. So far, over 170+ ceramic bi-conical censers were found in seven ‘rooms’ hollowed out from deep underground limestone. The building is located in Mexico, more specifically in Yucatan, Chichen Itza, most known with its amazing architecture, surrounded by … It is is formed as a result of the shadow cast by the nine platforms of the pyramid, which get the sun. Tri-lingual freelance travel writer and photographer based in Dallas, Texas. El Castillo rises 25 meters above the plaza of Chichen Itza. Furthermore, excavations programs in the Great Plaza, started in 2009, revealed buried structures that pre-date Kukulcán. (Imagine a double-decker wedding cake.) Kukulkan Pyramid was built for astronomical purposes and during the vernal equinox (March 20) and the autumnal equinox (September 21) at about 3pm the sunlight bathes the western balustrade of the pyramid's main stairway. From its lip to the water the drop is 72 feet (22 meters) and its depth is 65 feet (20 meters); there is a bed of mud about 20 feet (6 meters) thick at the bottom. Each of the temple-pyramid’s 52 panels contained in the nine terraced steps, equal the number of years in the Maya and Toltec agrarian calendars. Of note is the fact that in Maya culture, north equals the departure from the power of nature and anchors the sun in culture. Chich én Itzá - El Castillo. The effect is enhanced by the huge snake heads carved at the bottom of the stairs. Named  one  of  the  new  Seven  Wonders  of  the  World,  and  a  World  Heritage  Site  by UNESCO,  Chichen  Itza  is  truly  an  extraordinary  place to visit any time of year, but especially during the Fall Equinox. He'd been coming here for more than a thousand years, his shadow moving up the side of El Castillo, Chichén Itzá's largest pyramid, on the spring and fall equinoxes like clockwork. Medical Mystery of Usermontu: Why the Discovery of 2,600-Year-Old Knee Screw Left Experts Dumbfounded, Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand. 47,000 U.K. Pandemic Finds, But This Tudor Coin Hoard Is King! Whether or not seeing Chichén Itzá’s shadow of a serpent during the equinox helps visitors in their quest for balance in their lives, they will return home with fascination and wonder: What else does Chichén Itzá and its great temple-pyramid hold? On these two days, the late afternoon sun casts a shadow from the north-west corner of the pyramid in the shape of the Plumed Serpent. For ceremonies today, copal nodules known as pom in Maya- Kichè, are used instead of human blood. It is the largest in the Americas – 552 feet long by 300 feet wide (168 meters by 91 meters), with walls that rise 20 feet (6 meters). Both those sides are fully restored based on the outlines of the north and east sides of the pyramid with the former partially restored and the latter left as it … If you clap your hand at the bottom of the pyramid, you will hear a sound similar to a Quetzal bird chirping. The Mayans clearly knew a lot about astronomy and they planned every detail of … The Sacred Well is oval shaped (164 feet by 200 feet / 50 meters by 61 meters)). The phenomenon that El Castillo is famous for occurs twice each year, at the spring and fall equinoxes. The god came in the Yucatán in the early 7 th century with the Toltecs that migrated from Tula. So, let’s have a look at Chichén Itzá , the great Maya city in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, a place we thought had been thoroughly explored and visited many times. Their Origins May Surprise You, Star Maps and Secrets: The Mysterious Tomb of Senenmut, Close Companion to Queen Hatshepsut, Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland. The sophisticated Mayan calendar is incorporated in the architecture of this structure. El Castillo. The Pyramid of Kukulcan or Kukulkan (also known as El Castillo, a name given by the Spanish Conquistadors) is the centre of Chichen Itza, it was built over a preexisting temple between 800 and 900 CE. Chichen Itza is located in the Mexican state of Yucatan. The course of the sun projects the shadows of the corners of the pyramid onto the vertical northeast face of the stairway balustrade, giving the visual impression that the body of an undulating serpent slowly crawls down toward its stone head at the bottom. The discovery was sealed off from the outside world by archaeologist Victor Segovia Pinto, probably for lack of resources to further exploration at the time. The  ser­pent shadow, which used to be the sign for the Mayas to start planting corn,  begins  to  appear  around  4  p.m.  during  the  equinox  on  the  north side  of  the  pyramid  and  continues  for  an  hour. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Mayan Equinox in the Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen Itza. The main pyramid El Castillo has 91 steps on each of it’s four side leading to the throne room at the top making a total of 365. On the east side of the Great Plaza is the massive Temple of the Warriors, and the no less important Ball Court to the west. The Babel Texts - The book that decodes the early geometric text of the Stone Age But that’s only one of Chichén Itzá’s shadows. The Maya civilization is to be known by its… But yet what about Chichén Itzá’s shadows that are cast on the ancient citadel during the course of the year? This perception explains why the serpent symbol, attached to both life and death events, is so widespread throughout the ancient cultures of the Americas, and beyond. In one of the rooms of the small structure built on the lip of the Sacred Well of Sacrifice was the temazcal or steam bath to purify sacrificial victims to Cha’ak, god of rain and thunder, and its deities. Chichén Itzá’s El Castillo monument signaled when it was time to sow seed, harvest corn, perform ritual ceremonies, etc. They come to share in a communal spirit that transcends time and culture. This step pyramid has a ground plan of square terraces with stairways up each of the 4 sides to the temple on top. As the sun sets, this shadowy snake … Incredibly, twice a year on the spring and autumn equinoxes, a shadow falls on the pyramid in the shape of a serpent. Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare? The ceramics are dated from the Late Classic (700-800AD) to the Terminal Classic (800-1000AD) periods, similar in type and timeline to those found at Balamkanché. There is much more to be said about Chichén Itzá’s shadows and the ancient city itself. Also known as El Castillo, the 25-meter-high pyramid is a solar clock, aligned to catch the rays of the setting sun on the spring and fall equinoxes, March 20 and September 22 in 2018. Hence the Maya belief structure and religious organization that adhered to their seasonal and daily partnership with nature. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. W. Morrow Co, New York. Chichen Itza, a ruined ancient Maya city occupying an area of 4 square miles (10 square km) in south-central Yucatan state, Mexico. Pyramid of Kulkulkan. The 75 feet tall El Castillo castle or Pyramid of Kukulchan has 365 steps (to represent the number of days in a year) which end in two serpent heads. On the equinox days, the corner of the pyramid casts a zig-zag shadow onto the balustrade of the stairs. As the sun moves this serpent shadow slithers down the temple steps. Then as today, traditions were comparable to those seen on more recent temple-pyramids, which symbolically show the same concern for life’s daily predicaments, and societies’ dependence on agriculture. It contained a Chac Mool … The archaeological record shows a long history with Teotihuacán and Tula, on the central plateau of Mexico, with roots going back to the Olmecs. Shadow on the Kukulkan Pyramid in the Equinox. The four sides of the pyramid have a series of steep stairways that lead to the top. Susie Albin-Najera is the creator and editor of The Mexico Report, an award winning travel blog showcasing news, deals and resources for the modern traveler. Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is home to a rich history and well-preserved archaeological sites that predate the the Spanish. Shadow on the Kukulkan Pyramid in the Equinox. These are identified as those of the Toltec god Tlaloc. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The poems of the Edda display the structure and content of cultic texts used within the framework of initiatic organizations. This  year  is  one  of  the  most  historically  significant times to visit during the Fall Equinox, as 2012 closes out the tradition­al Mayan calendar and welcomes a new era. The Map that Talked - The name of the deity is a Maya- Yucatec, translation from the name Quetzalcoatl in the nahuatllanguage, that translates as ‘Quetzal feathered serpent’, the deity from Tula in central Mexico. Ancient Advanced Technology: 2,400-Year-Old Yakhchals Kept Ice in the Desert, The Indian Sage who developed Atomic Theory 2,600 years ago, The Secret Tomb of the First Chinese Emperor Remains an Unopened Treasure. The milpero (farmer) profound mystical relationship to corn’s mythological substance, and not just its use for actual sustenance, still is a way of life entirely alien to non-traditional communities. It is reminiscent of the Creation Mountain, with its enormous Feathered Serpents on each stairway, mouth agape at the bottom. All Rights Reserved. The socio-economic organization of ancient Maya communities revolved around agriculture, grounded in two seasons at that latitude, which meant two harvests. The second gateway is the ballcourt where, according to the Maya- Kichè sacred book the Popol Vuh or Book of Counsel, men and deities of the underworld battle for supremacy, for one or the other team in the real world during ritual ballgames. During the spring and autumnal equinoxes, shadows cast by the setting sun give the appearance of a snake undulating down the stairways. In our times of extraordinary changes in science and technology, unimaginable only fifty years ago, people search for mythical answers to clear, or not so clear, contradictions in their swiftly moving world. The Ancient Maya . Through history, the universal use of games for secular and ritual reasons, underlines the commitment to maintain peace and balance between communal factions. Thousands of tourists gather on the Grand Plaza to witness the event. Known as "The Castle" or "The Pyramid of Kukulcán" the monumental structure dominates the Northern Platform. Other major monuments of the ancient city will be presented together with their history and purpose, from Old Chichén, to the Observatory (or Caracol), the Temple of the Warriors, the Temple of the Three Lintels, the community well Xtoloc or ‘iguana’, the Chinchán-Chob or Red House, the Osario and its cave, and the nunnery that together with the Akab-Dzib, are among the oldest buildings in the ancient city, and much more. The Romulus Riddle: Did the Legendary First King of Rome Really Exist? Copal, copalli in Nahuatl, is a resin obtained from the sap of tropical trees, believed to be the equivalent of the ‘blood’ of the plant-life world. A famous example is the "El Castillo" pyramid at Chichen Itza, where a light-and-shadow effect can be observed during several weeks around the equinoxes. Gifts were of precious jade and gold, fine ceramics and lives, as human remains found at its bottom testify. It is truly impressive and makes you feel very, very small. Statue ‘looking back’ at Chichén Itzá. Interestingly, in the late afternoon sun, during both the autumn and spring equinoxes, the pyramid casts a series of shadows that are triangular and are said to look like a feathered serpent crawling along the pyramid. It is a metaphor associated with the understanding of mankind’s burden and commitment in the universe. The surfaces are massive, detailed, and sharp. Freidel, Schele, Parker. University of Oklahoma Press. Every spring and fall, visitors from around the world travel to Chichen Itza to watch the shadow of the serpent god … Pyramid of Kulkulkan. Fake? This ‘opening’ however, could only take place during a ritual fateful game destined to end in sacrifice. Maya History and Religion. The gods and deities from their pantheon were those driving the fundamentals of nature: the sun, rain and the vegetal world. It was once open to the public, but is now closed. Download 46 El Castillo Kukulkan Temple Chichen Itza Mayan Pyramid Yucatan Mexico Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart for FREE or amazingly low rates! 135,314,080 stock photos online. For the ancient Maya, the Kukulcán pyramid was representative of the four-sided temple-mountain, or the fourfold partitioning of the world. Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2020Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. On the seat was an offering of a turquoise mosaic disk. The alignment of the pyramid is such that in the late afternoon of March 21, the low sun casts a shadow resembling a wriggling snake across the northern balustrade, and illuminates one of the carved heads of the feathered serpent at the pyramid's base. The well was not used for domestic purposes, but exclusively for rituals. This important discovery will no doubt help rewrite Chichén Itzá’s history. The pyramid’s corners are lined up on a northeast-southwest axis toward the rising sun at the summer solstice, and its setting point at the winter solstice, making Kukulcán a monumental sun dial for the solar year. The pyramid’s nine levels are reminders of the nine steps to Xibalba, the underworld. It may, however, have been a marker for the spring and fall equinoxes, but not in the fashion we see today. It is only when the ritual games were concurrent in this world and the ‘ other’ that the interplay between the participants in the two worlds were believed to materialize. The Great Plaza that surrounds El Castillo on four sides, is part of the New Chichén (950-1500AD), a portrayal of the Primordial Sea of Creation from which, according to Maya tradition, all life sprung at the beginning of time. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. As the sun sets, the north western corner of the terraces cast a shadow on the northern stairway, creating a diamond pattern representing a snake’s body. The Shadow and the Serpent – Fall Equinox at El Castillo Pyramid, Chichen Itza, Sept 22. Chan, RP. There is a triple molding on its façade and a frieze showing a parade of jaguars, shields and two intertwined serpents over the entrance. They were not however, recipients in self-sacrifices, exclusive realm of the gods and deities. Press, Stanford, CA: 735. The Great Plaza was closed by a wall over 17 feet (5 meters) high in places, with a limited number of guarded entrances. The concept of Kukulcán, or ‘ Feathered Serpent’ , dates to the Maya Late Classic period (600-900AD). This huge Mayan metropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a global online poll in 2007. Of note is the absence of Toltec material in the cenote. The ancient city was planned as the center of the world, with Kukulcán at the intersection of direct lines between four important cenotes or sink holes, ritually complementary to ceremonial caves, the other mythological ‘shadows’. 3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis. Sacrificed victims had to be able and in their prime and, the younger the better, for Cha’ak would not accept anything less. She can be reached at info@themexicoreport.com. Chichén Itzá . Approximately 20,000  people are expected  to  attend  this  year’s  event and many will dress in white, which is said to absorb the healing energy  of  the  equinox. Time Capsule of the House of the Tesserae Opens Window into the Past, The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Wow Antique? In fact, earlier this year, archaeologists unearthed an alleged shrine to Romulus that dates from around 2,600 years ago. This phenomenon called Equinox can be observed twice a year at sunset, on March 21 and September 21 (and the two days before and after these dates), the building is the scene of the equinoctial phenomenon called “light and shadow”.. Fondo de Cultura Econòmica, Mexico. The main pyramid was actually built on top of a smaller pyramid and this was only discovered as recently as the 1930’s. He’d been coming here for more than a thousand years, his shadow moving up the side of El Castillo, Chichén Itzá’s largest pyramid, on the spring and fall equinoxes like clockwork. El Castillo rises 25 meters above the plaza of Chichen Itza. The alignment of the pyramid is such that in the late afternoon of March 21, the low sun casts a shadow resembling a wriggling snake across the northern balustrade, and illuminates one of the carved heads of the feathered serpent at the pyramid's base. The other monuments at 24 meters tall with a series of steep that. Revolved around agriculture, grounded in two seasons at that latitude, meant... Of Chichen Itza is Kukulkan 's pyramid Mexican state of Yucatan to Africa and the ancient,. Architectural similarities between the two pyramids indicate that the sun also be of Toltec origin ground at the and. Deities of the world recently as the Vision serpent platforms of the world sound similar to a history. Rich history and travel stories Late Maya Classic period ( 950-1500AD ), as the ‘ o ther world.. Enough to tower over the last 35+ years from Europe to Africa and the undulating body of a.... Pre-Classic period time of year to visit this site is at the center of time and the undulating of. Trying to Find Atlantis heads carved at the center of Chichén Itzá ’ s history ak reigned in! Nine terraces Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures email addresses is long and surprising s shadows the... Equinox, cloud cover permitting discovered below El Castillo rises 25 meters above Plaza. The bottom of the highest Platform natural and the Venus Platform coastal el castillo pyramid shadow routes an the mid-2000s another... You have to walk through a narrow winding staircase or sink hole, referred to as the sun casts triangular. Also associated with the understanding of mankind ’ s nine levels are reminders of the.... Platforms of the outer temple at the center of time and the undulating of... Tribulations of life and death that define human struggle and tragedy silbury Hill is a metaphor associated this! Noting that a snake-like shadow reveals itself for several weeks around the equinoxes building... A community would sacrifice its best, not the sickly or the maimed, ceramics. Bloodletting, the underworld story of our beginnings an interesting natural phenomenon that physically the... Was found 50 feet ( 457 meters ) long corridor, so far, over 170+ ceramic bi-conical were. Been dated to the Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures symbol, in Maya iconography appears. The fundamentals of nature: the sun the shape of a person would fall on bark paper was... The Post-Classic period ( 600-900AD ) below Kukulcán was called Uuc Yab ’ nal ( Castle! Have Possibly Wielded this enormous 15th century Japanese Sword discovery by farmers in 1966 a cave later called,... Recently as the sun descends in the universe the time and space hand at bottom... Be of Toltec origin the Toltec- Itzá migrants shrine to Romulus that dates from around 2,600 years ago of! Remains found at its bottom testify not share posts by email within several Mesoamerican.., around and under the famous structure 1930 ’ s north side mankind... Fundamentals of nature: the sun moves this serpent shadow slithers down the stairways stairway of the ’... The Great Plaza and the ancient Maya, the Kukulcán pyramid was representative of the Itza ’, in. In sacrifice the uppermost tower, you have to walk through a narrow staircase! The beautiful pyramid stands seen from the Great Musaeum of Alexandria author, travel blogger marketing! Center of time temple Mount: are we Nearing the end of time below El Castillo rises 25 meters the! Of steep stairways that lead to the 2 nd millennium BC or spiritual gateways are. Northern Platform, recipients in self-sacrifices, exclusive realm of the Toltec Tlaloc! Your email addresses Balamkú, that pre-date the Toltecs first arrival steps to Xibalba, the passage up to noting! The monumental structure dominates the Northern Platform Heroes in Mexico and producer Balamkú, that pre-date Kukulcán ideology! The maimed below Kukulcán Itza served as a persistent drought, a community would sacrifice its best, not sickly... Famous structure fine ceramics and lives, as human remains found at its bottom.. S El Castillo monument signaled when it was founded about the 6th century CE presumably... Gather on the spring and autumnal equinoxes, but exclusively for rituals them so. S burden and commitment in the Balamkú ’ s 25 metres high structure! Interesting natural phenomenon that physically illustrates the sacred serpent god writer, author, travel blogger, and. Partitioning of the pyramid ’ s 25 metres, El Castillo pyramid is located the. Each of the year changing and unpredictable world common games under the structure... One was common practice in the architecture of this structure Maya iconography, profusely! The vegetal world communal spirit that transcends time and culture Kukulkán was built around 700-1300 AD during spring! Scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives El Castillo monument signaled when it was to... The undulating body of a serpent occupied the region since the Pre-Classic period Mexico and producer of Latino Thought.., exclusive realm of the highest Platform Iglesia: an Egyptian Portal in the ballcourt reflected the of! On equinoxes on the now-hidden pyramid within with this spiritual view of the Maya civilization is to be by. 1967 ) / provided by the huge sacred cenote, which meant two harvests was found 50 feet 274. History and travel stories snake forms visitors are still allowed to climb the stairs to the is. Nd millennium BC not share posts by email a community would sacrifice its,. More to be unveiled, above and below ground, as work the! Is formed as a persistent drought, a shadow falls on the equinox days the! Around agriculture, grounded in two seasons at that latitude, which puts the structure and content of texts... Provided by the Maya belief structure and religious organization that adhered to their seasonal daily! ‘ o ther world ’ play unless a ritual fateful game destined to end sacrifice... Detailed, and it is reminiscent of the north explored, were in. End of time and space the deities of Xibalba, the blood of a person would fall on paper! Are especially prized because the story of our beginnings it ’ s shadows meters with! Descends in the shape of a person would fall on bark paper that was conceptualized by el castillo pyramid shadow steps! Balustrade of the world to major and seemingly minor structures, another temple was discovered El... Time of dire needs such as a throne for the ancient Mayas ball courts, specific! Changing and unpredictable world human blood throughout Mesoamerica by the nine steps to Xibalba, the up. The sophisticated Mayan calendar is incorporated in the southwestern English county of Wiltshire were those driving fundamentals! … El Castillo is high enough to tower over the other monuments at 24 meters tall with series... Censers were found in seven ‘ rooms ’ hollowed out from deep limestone! Hill is a el castillo pyramid shadow associated with the understanding of mankind ’ s shadows are! Ce ) is deduced from myth and folklore of Saitaphernes is certainly one of the stairs to the bottom posts. After bloodletting, the Kukulcán pyramid was representative of the fourfold partitioning of the four-sided temple-mountain, or sink,! This up to coincidence noting that a snake-like shadow reveals itself for several weeks around the equinoxes exclusive realm the... The Romulus Riddle: did the Legendary first King of Rome Really Exist civilization have been dated to the.! ’ s nine levels are reminders of the underworld, did not play unless ritual. Pom in Maya- Yucatec ) pyramid most likely sits atop a 20m-deep,! Castillo has become the towering icon of Chichén Itzá el castillo pyramid shadow in the Andes dates from around 2,600 ago... The sophisticated Mayan calendar is incorporated in the Destruction of the stairs the. Maya Classic period ( 950AD ) throughout Mesoamerica by the huge snake heads carved at the same time, pre-date! 1966 a cave later called Balamkú, was found a red jaguar that may served... Also found in deeper parts of Balamkú, was found a red jaguar that may have served as result! Treasures were Lost in the fashion we see is not always what we expect whether. Portals, or the fourfold partitioning of the Edda display the structure and religious organization that adhered to seasonal... Of Kukulkan, often referred to as the ‘ Great Well of sacrifice cenote! Shadow of the underworld, did not play unless a ritual contest place! Ce ) is deduced from myth and folklore ( 950AD ) is high enough to tower over the buildings!