Chichen Itza's Mysterious History Of Sun Worship And Human Sacrifice | Legendary Locations

When it comes to my absolute favorite places, there are those that shine because of their undeniable beauty. Tuscany, the French Riviera, the beaches of Bali. But there are other places that tell a more mysterious story. And deep in the jungles of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is a city cloaked in myth and magic. A place of astonishing scientific achievements and terrifying rituals. In fact, it's a place so legendary, it's one of the new seven wonders of the world. The journey to reach this fabled destination begins with one of our most sacred rituals, spring break. Welcome to Cancun, home of the three Ts, tacos, tequila, and tan lines. But the kids are, as they say, late to the party. Because long before anyone invented an appletini ice luge, the Yucatan was home to a much bigger and stranger party. This was the domain of the Maya. At the Maya Empire's peak over a thousand years ago, its interconnected city-states spread 120,000 square miles across the Yucatan, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The Maya are a highly advanced, yet highly superstitious civilization. They develop a sophisticated writing system and construct soaring feats of architecture that anchor their cities. And the rituals and beliefs of one of these cities stands out from all the rest, Chichen Itza. By 900 AD, Chichen Itza is a thriving cultural and political powerhouse, teeming with over 50,000 residents. But just over 300 years later, the bustling metropolis is suddenly and mysteriously abandoned. This is the city as it appears today, sprawling plazas, silent temples, and cryptic glyphs. On the southern end of the city is an observatory known as El Caracol, meticulously designed for charting the stars and planets above. The Maya developed their entire belief system based on celestial events, as well as an unshakable faith in a host of bizarre deities. Chief among those is Kukulkan, the feathered serpent, god of the sun and sky. According to legend, if Kukulkan is venerated and appeased, he will return to the city of Chichen Itza to bless its citizens. And it turns out that, in a sense, the legend is true. At the center of the ruins is its grandest monument, a stunning step pyramid dedicated to the Maya's serpent god. Behind me is the temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo. The 100-foot-tall Kukulkan pyramid was designed to represent a solar calendar. Each of the pyramid's four sides has 91 steps, for a total of 364. The platform on top makes 365, a step for every day of the year that it takes the Earth to travel around the sun. But this incredible stone temple does much more than put my daily planner to shame. The Maya were so dialed in to what was happening in the sky, they were actually able to engineer the promised return of Kukulkan, using an ingenious sunlight and shadow trick that makes a snake appear to slither down the pyramid during the spring equinox. So if you come to Chichen Itza on just the right day of the year, you'll get to do as the Maya did, celebrate an extraordinary collaboration between faith and science, with about 10,000 of your closest friends. It's almost like a spiritual rock concert. And while we wait for the afternoon sun to get in position, there are other secrets to discover in the overgrown jungles surrounding Chichen Itza. To get around, it's best to ditch those city slicker wheels for something a little more backcountry and a lot more rock and roll. This place is awesome! There's another legendary location less than half a mile directly north of the Kukulkan pyramid, and it could be the very reason Chichen Itza was built here. It's called the Cenote Sagrado. Translation, Sacred Flooded Sinkhole. 200 feet wide and 90 frightening feet down to the water, this is one serious death pit. When it was first dredged in the early 1900s, archaeologists found sacred artifacts made of gold, jade, and human remains. In total, it is believed that hundreds of people were sacrificed here. But why? There are no lakes, rivers, or other above-ground sources of fresh water in the Yucatan, so the Maya sought out and settled near flooded limestone caverns that underlie the entire peninsula like a giant piece of Swiss cheese. Not only were these cenotes vital to the civilization's very existence, but they were also believed to be mystical portals to the underworld, which were, of course, guarded by super scary deities. The gods provided water for life, and in return the Maya would offer life for water. Which is kind of confusing when you think about it. But even doubling down on human sacrifices couldn't save the Maya from succumbing to drought. Archaeological evidence suggests the cenote's water level got so low, they were forced to cut their losses and desert the area. Today, if you can get past the cenote's gruesome past, these hidden spots are just waiting for anyone daring enough to take a leap of faith. Just to think that other civilizations used to live here, it makes me feel special because I'm in a special place. And it's true, it's kind of magic. You can feel it in the air. Back at Chichen Itza, a massive crowd has gathered for the main event. To watch in awe as the sun passes over the pyramid, fulfilling Kukulkan's promise to return. And the celestial magic happens in three, two, one. Okay, here's how this works. By charting the solar phases, the Maya were able to meticulously engineer the Kukulkan pyramid so that on the equinox, the setting sun would cast a shadow down the steps, making it appear as though their snake deity had come to life. It's a lot more impressive in person. Starting at around 4pm, it takes 45 minutes for the passing sun to hit the pyramid at just the right angle, making the serpent appear to slither down the structure. To get the full effect, let me speed that up for you. And the crowd goes wild, just like the Maya would have here on this very spot over a thousand years ago. That's history. I feel proud. Yeah, and I've got goosebumps. It was very beautiful and it was very evocative and very dramatic.