More Ruins at Chichen Itza

TEMPLE OF THE WARRIORS
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The Temple of the Warriors complex consists of a large stepped pyramid fronted and flanked by rows of carved columns depicting warriors. This complex is analogous to Temple B at the Toltec capital of Tula, and indicates some form of cultural contact between the two regions. The one at Chichen Itza, however, was constructed on a larger scale. At the top of the stairway on the pyramid’s summit (and leading towards the entrance of the pyramid’s temple) is a Chac Mool. This temple encases or entombs a former structure called The Temple of the Chac Mool. The archeological expedition and restoration of this building was done by the Carnegie Institute of Washington from 1925–1928. A key member of this restoration was Earl H. Morris who published the work from this expedition in two volumes entitled Temple of the Warriors. [WIKI]

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I am quite confused about this structure. If memory serves me right, I remember our guide Ruben say this is the Marketplace or El Mercado. However, while doing my research, I am not sure if this was the marketplace or this is the Group of a Thousand Columns. Help!

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Platform of Venus
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Temple of Jaguar - overlooks the ballcourt.

The GREAT BALLCOURT
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The great ballcourt is where Mayan men played a game called POK TA POK. Anthropologists believed that the object of the game was to hurl a ball through a ring that was mounted on the wall, 7 m above the ground.

Each team had 6 field players who would attempt to pass the ball - using any body part except the hands - to their captain who would attempt the shot using a racket of sorts.

Legends say that the the winning captain would present his head to the losing captain, who then decapitates him. While this may seem a strange reward, the Mayans believed this to be the ultimate honor.The winning captain getting a direct ticket to heaven instead of going through the 13 steps that the Mayan's believed they had to go through in order to reach heaven..

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The ring or goal.
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I noticed that there were numbers on the walls of the ballcourt and I asked what was the significance of these numbers. Ruben shared that the blocks were numbered when they were pulling them apart for renovation. Apparently the walls were about to collapse and the authorities decided to take them apart and put them back again. They numbered the blocks so they know where each part goes.

The true mystery behind the ball court at Chichen Itza is the Mayan prophecy that on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12) the great warrior serpent Kukulkan will rise from the ground beneath the playing field and end the world for good.

WALL OF SKULLS
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The Wall of Skulls is called the Tzompantli, which is actually an Aztec name for this kind of structure, because the first one seen by the horrified Spanish was at the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan.

The Tzompantli structure at Chichén Itzá is a Toltec structure, where the heads of sacrificial victims were placed; although it was one of three platforms in the Great Plaza, it was according to Bishop Landa, the only one for this purpose--the others were for farces and comedies, showing the Itzá's were all about fun. The platform walls of the Tzompantli have carved reliefs of four different subjects. The primary subject is the skull rack itself; others show a scene with a human sacrifice; eagles eating human hearts; and skeletonized warriors with shields and arrows. [SOURCE]

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This is my entry to this week's MY WORLD

Comments

  1. I really enjoyed reading this post. I love trips filled with history. This is one place i would love to visit.

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  2. yes Maria, that's the Group of the Thousand Columns. The view of the Chichen Itza from up there was also great. Let's see what happens in 12/12/12.

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  3. hi pc, this is one interesting trip. i hope my feet could take my there.
    i think i have yet to learn about its history, for me, looking at those ruins reminded me of machu pichu and a bit of the Motorcycle diaries. ^0^

    ps: if that 2012 prediction were true... yikes! ^06

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  4. Truly amazing... interesting info.

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  5. Nice! The pictures remind me of a scene from Beverly Hills Chihuahua

    The place looks magical.

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  6. The Wall of Skulls can be glamourized in a different form. Maybe one day they will put colors on some of the squares.

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  7. Great postcards!! your photos show the strenght of the stones and the magic of the place. The numbers seemed to be mesagges of the visitors but I was wrong.

    Regards

    Valery

    [Barcelona Daily Photo]

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  8. This was a fascinating post. An amazing place to visit. Your photographs are all great and I like how you showed both details and wider shots. Happy Valentine's Day!

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  9. funny that the numbers were never removed...curious! very appealing fotos and the story is surely one for the books...the 2012 prediction that is hehe. :D

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  10. Fascinating post and terrific photos! More wonderful memories for me of my visit there! Marvelous! Hope you have a great week and a very Happy Valentine's Day!

    Sylvia

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  11. To me it seems amazing that so much of the ruin still exists! Nice tour!

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  12. Amazing photos of the Mayan pyramids and structures.

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  13. I really enjoyed this tour, a fascinating place to visit.

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  14. Incredible photos - can you imagine living there in its prime? I'm sure I wouldn't want to win their sporting events.

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  15. Wow! So much of history and what a sport they had. Winner's reward is chilling, can't imagine something similar today.

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  16. Didn't you just love Chichen Itza? I didn't do a lot of the walking around, but was happy just to sit and be there 13 months ago. I've wanted to see it for most of my life, and it far exceeded my expectations.
    Thanks for the pictorial tour. Just super!
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  17. Wonderful tour! I love the Pillars shot and also the Wall of Skulls.

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  18. Amazing architecture. In the glory days this would have been a magnificent place.

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  19. parang Angkor Complex!
    i thought the numbers are for sodoku! hehe

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  20. Great photos and commentary on this amazing culture. While I admire their skill and craftsmanship I can't say I care much for the human sacrifice. I am fascinated by the variety in human culture and I realize we can’t judge other cultures by our standards.

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  21. nice pics. THese structures are quite large !

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  22. Wow - what an amazing place! Must have been very impressive in its day.

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  23. Wow very interesting building. They looked real huge.

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  24. I liked hearing about an ancient sport!

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  25. Imagine - getting top fit and be better than the others in order to get decapitated honourably. There must be shorter routes.

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  26. This place is just amazing, Maria. Why haven't I seen/heard more about it? I'm aware of some of the ritualistic sacrifices...but decapitation for winning in order to get to heaven faster? Do the wives or lovers have any say in the matter???? "Oh, Honey. Please can you try not to be so good today. Please lose!"

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  27. great post and photo's... my post this week is also on one of the wonders of the world. Have a great week ahead

    Epitome of Eternal Love

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  28. the first few photos made me thought the structure was small. but with people on it... scaling proves the place grandeur.

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  29. Great shots and information about some heady "games” from ancient times that thankfully no longer take place.

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  30. great series of photos and a fascinating history.

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  31. Impresionante milenaria y misteriosa cultura¡¡Salluods

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  32. beautiful photos reminded me of Intramuros. Btw, is that were the movie Beverly Hills chihuahua was shot?

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  33. A fine series of this marvelous place. I like the textures in your shots and the nice composition you do. The wall of skulls was the most striking to me. Fine series.

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  34. Wonderful shots! We were attracted by the same spots there, so it seems. Isn't the 1000 column temple just amazing?

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  35. The Wall of Skulls is amazing.
    All splendid views indeed.

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  36. ohh fun fun fun, and so much history. Love the photo tour!

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  37. Awesome place! And thanks for the story about the ball game. Pretty weird, isn't it?

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  38. Really interesting reading - I remember some yeas ago my wife and I talked about travelling to this place - we never went....thanks for travelling with you ;)

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