RESEARCH AT THE RUINS OF CHICHEN ITZA, YUCATAN. 73 



2. Chicken Itza, the Religions Center of Yucatan. 



As a holy or sacred city, Chichen Itza was preeminent. In the native 

 manuscripts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries its inhabitants are 

 referred to as "The Itza, holy men,"' apparently indicating a widespread 

 belief in the sacred character of the city and its people. This holiness was 

 considerably enhanced by "The Cenote of Sacrifice," to which pilgrimages 

 were made from distant points, even outside the Maya area, until the 

 Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century. Offerings of all kinds were 

 cast into this cenote, even including human sacrifices in times of drought, 

 to appease the anger of the offended rain deities.^ Says an early chron- 

 icler, in speaking of "The Cenote of Sacrifice": 



"From the court in front of these theatres' there goes a beautiful and broad 

 causeway to a well about two stone-throws distant. In this well they used to have, 

 and still have, the custom of casting living men in sacrifice to the gods in times of 

 drought, and they hold that these do not die, even though they are seen no more. 

 They also cast into this well many other things, stones of value and whatever else 

 they regard as precious. And so if this country had had gold in it, it would be 

 found in this well, so great is the devotion of the Indians to it."* 



Recent archaeological investigations substantiate the sacred character 

 of this cenote and the fact that human victims were thrown into it. 



The causeway above mentioned (Plate 13) commences at the edge of 

 the broad terrace in front of the Castillo (Plate 1 and 3a, also I, Plate 14), 

 the principal temple at Chichen Itza, and leads to a small shrine at the 

 brink of "The Cenote of Sacrifice" (Plate 2). From this latter point the 

 victims were hurled into the water below. The fact that Chichen Itza was 

 the hohest city of the Maya, in short, "The Mecca of the Maya World," 

 considerably increases its archaeological importance. 



5. Chichen Itza, the Foremost City of the Maya Renaissance.^ 



When the Maya moved northward into Yucatan from the older centers 

 of their civilization, Chichen Itza was the first large city founded in the 

 new land. For this reason it is the best place at which to study the changes 

 effected in the old civilization by the new environment. Under the pres- 

 sure of these new surroundings, many of the customs and practices of 

 former times fell into disuse, and finally were forgotten altogether. But 

 side by side with this process of decay, there went on a corresponding 

 process of growth. New needs gave rise to new ideas, and these in turn 

 so leavened society that in due time the Maya civilization experienced its 

 renaissance. Chichen Itza was the leader in this cultural revival, and it 

 is probable that this site will furnish the best data on the various stages 

 of its development. 



J "The Maya Chronicles," D. G. Brinton, pp. 101, 125, 145. 



- For a description of these human sacrifices, see Appendix IV, p. 90. 



'These two theaters appear just north of the Castillo in Plate 13. They were probably used for per- 

 forming certain religious rites, more or less public in character, and were theaters only in that limited sense. 

 "Relation des Choses de Yucatan," Diego de Landa, pp. 344-6. 



'The Maya Renaissance took place during the tenth century, or after the close of the Transitional 

 Period in 960 \. d. See p. 66. 



