The Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico houses many archaeological areas where travelers can visit Mayan Ruins.
PHOTO AMANDA PURCELLAt these ruins, visitors have the unique opportunity to view temple pyramids — some were built about 3,000 years ago! The Mayan Ruins are landmark attractions in Central America and Mexico because of their historic and complicated architectural designs. Tourists can sometimes even climb to the top of temple pyramids. Listed below are ten fun facts about the Mayan Ruins and why you should consider visiting them.
1. Location:
Many sites in Southern Mexico are open for adventurous tourists including locations such as Becan, Calakmul, Coba, Chichen Itza, Palenque, Altun Ha, and Tulum. These sites are mainly located in the states which make up the Yucatan peninsula; Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo.
2. History:
Mayans were progressive in developing a written language, calendar, architectural design, rubber, and could possibly the first group to cultivate papaya and cacao. Despite these inventions, it is recorded that Mayans fled their cities and left them to ruin.
3. Ball courts:
Some of these sites have ancient ball courts where Mayans played games to honor the gods specifically the Hero Twins. These courts were usually positioned near the bottom of a temple while the court was comprised of a stone ring that was located at one end of the court. Players had to successfully move a rubber ball into the stone ring, but they usually could not use their hands.
4. Mayan Glyphs:
The Mayan created a language that can be seen through carvings on stone, bark, ceramics, wood, and temple walls. There is a long history of scholars who have tried to break and understand the code. Scholars have discovered that numbers were represented through dots and that around 300 glyphs were typically used.
5. Temple Pyramids:
Some of the pyramids Mayans built had staircases that religious figures would ascend for religious rituals. Pyramids were purposely tall so that they could serve as both a landmark and a symbol of the gods. According to Mayan Legend, the Pyramid of the Magician in Uxmal, was built by Itzamna, the Mayan god of magic.
6. Mayan Art:
Mayan art and artistic expression is different depending on where it is located. In Palenque, tourists can view carvings of warriors and kings that are depicted with curved features. However, in Dzibilchaltun, visitors can see Mayan textiles. Mayan artistic expression varied from Europe dramatically and also varied between Mayan cities.
7. Mayan Calendar:
Mayans developed a calendar that was cyclical with the last cycle ending in December 2012 (accounting for much of the recent “end of the world” hype). This calendar was based on a 365 day solar calendar, a divine calendar which determined the time of religious events, and an astronomical calendar which had a 52 year cycle. This calendar was revolutionary for the time.
8. Sacred Cenote:
The famous Sacred Cenote or Well of Sacrifice located in Chichen-Itza was found to contain many Mayan sacrificial victims. It is said that men were thrown alive into the well as a sacrifice to the gods during times of drought as well as other objects of worship.
9. Worship:
Mayans respected their gods who they believed were also utterly destructive. Mayans had many interesting methods in how they worshiped their ancestors. They built idols that held the ashes of the dead and on festival days brought food to these idols. Human sacrifice was also a ritual to honor the Gods which sometimes included ripping out a victim’s heart.
10. Death Rituals:
When wealthy Mayans died, they were often buried in tombs with their belongings. However, usually when a Mayan died they were buried in a grave underneath their house. Tourists can visit these grave and tomb locations.
