PALENQUE
HISTORY
Near the lovely colonial town of Valladolid is Chichen Itza, meaning “at the mouth of the well of the enchanter of water” in Maya. This UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World is a collective of Puuc-style Mayan ruins that lay within Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The reason for its nomenclature is the four visible sacred wells within this kingdom, called cenotes, which would have made it a desirable place for settlement, with its resource of fresh water.
WHAT HAPPEND?
At its height of power from 600 AD until the 1200s, it was a thriving and influential capital city in political, economic, and sociocultural life with a population of up to 50,000. This complex and powerful society traded and received ceramics, obsidian, gold, turquoise, and jade from its ocean-surrounded port power-structure. Part of this culture included human sacrifices to their god of rain, fertility, and agriculture, “Chaac”, and participating in the well-known Mesoamerican ballgame - among the 13 courts identified in this domain the famous Great Ball Court can be found. Human remains and other geode offerings have been excavated from these cenotes, providing more insight into the lifestyle of this culture.
TOUR & MORE
There are several explanations for the fall of this civilization; most believe it to be with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
Even with its growing daily visitors, present day archaeologists are exhuming newly discovered artifacts and understanding more about this multifaceted society.
2-3 hours from Cancun. Open 8am - 5pm daily, with the last entry at 4pm. Nightly light and sound shows are displayed upon the magnificent geometric structures.
