Cenoté
East
of the major Chichén Itzá ruins is a dark underground
world the Mayans called Cenoté. They are deep water filled sinkholes
formed by water percolating through the soft limestone above. Since
the porous soil held little water, these underground bodies were extremely
important to the city. A visit to one is a spine chilling experience.
Entry is through a vertical hole with narrow stair steps carved by the
Mayan's themselves. The air is thick and musty. One misstep on the slimy
ledges threatens to send you falling over 20 feet.
Once your eyes
get used to the light level a bizarre world takes shape. Stalagtites
of blood red limestone seem to ooze from the dripping walls. Ahead
is a strange green pool of glowing water.
As
you approach the pool you notice roots of trees hanging before you.
In their search for water they've penetrated the ceiling, dropping 50
feet to the pool below. It's like an eerie underground forest.
After you've
crawled under some especially low hanging stalactites you're greeted
by an incredible scene. A beautiful blue green pool of unknown depth
stretches out before you. A massive stalagtite hangs down, just inches
from touching the surface, and above a piercing beam of light streams
in from the ceiling, illuminating the pool and the entire chamber.
By
pure luck I was at the Cenoté for a rare event. Once a year,
in April, the beam of light touches the tip of the stalagtite. There
are many instances of ancient peoples building monuments to take advantage
of events like these but this is something that is totally natural
and unplanned.
There is a darker
side to this and other Cenoté , however. In the wells around
Chichén Itzá have been found scores of skeletons. Mayan
petroglyphs depict human sacrifices at these sites. What lies under
this Cenoté is not known, no one has ever been able to reach
it's depths.
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Mysterious Places ^ Mayan Home ^ webmaster ^ about the photographer
Click here if you want to use images and text from this site
Visit the new Mysterious Places Store
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Click Here!
Cenoté
East
of the major Chichén Itzá ruins is a dark underground
world the Mayans called Cenoté. They are deep water filled sinkholes
formed by water percolating through the soft limestone above. Since
the porous soil held little water, these underground bodies were extremely
important to the city. A visit to one is a spine chilling experience.
Entry is through a vertical hole with narrow stair steps carved by the
Mayan's themselves. The air is thick and musty. One misstep on the slimy
ledges threatens to send you falling over 20 feet.Once your eyes
get used to the light level a bizarre world takes shape. Stalagtites
of blood red limestone seem to ooze from the dripping walls. Ahead
is a strange green pool of glowing water.
As
you approach the pool you notice roots of trees hanging before you.
In their search for water they've penetrated the ceiling, dropping 50
feet to the pool below. It's like an eerie underground forest.
After you've
crawled under some especially low hanging stalactites you're greeted
by an incredible scene. A beautiful blue green pool of unknown depth
stretches out before you. A massive stalagtite hangs down, just inches
from touching the surface, and above a piercing beam of light streams
in from the ceiling, illuminating the pool and the entire chamber.
By
pure luck I was at the Cenoté for a rare event. Once a year,
in April, the beam of light touches the tip of the stalagtite. There
are many instances of ancient peoples building monuments to take advantage
of events like these but this is something that is totally natural
and unplanned.
There is a darker side to this and other Cenoté , however. In the wells around Chichén Itzá have been found scores of skeletons. Mayan petroglyphs depict human sacrifices at these sites. What lies under this Cenoté is not known, no one has ever been able to reach it's depths.
Mysterious Places ^ Mayan Home ^ webmaster ^ about the photographer
Click here if you want to use images and text from this site
Visit the new Mysterious Places Store
Books, Fine Art Prints, Calendars, and More!
Click Here!