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Chichén Itzá

Type Object Region Mesoamerica Time c. 600–1200

Chichén Itzá was one of the most important Postclassic Maya city-states of the northern Yucatán, famed for the Kukulcán pyramid, ball court and astro…

Timeline

  1. c. 600–800Chichén Itzá · Yucatán StateThe site formed a sizable settlement in the Late Classic, developing agriculture and a ritual center around natural well (cenote) water sources, laying the foundation for later expansion.
  2. c. 900–1100Chichén Itzá · Yucatán StateAround the early 10th century the city underwent large-scale rebuilding, with the appearance of the Kukulcán pyramid of the feathered serpent deity, the Temple of the Warriors and a giant ball court; the architectural style fused Maya and Toltec elements, controlling the Yucatán Peninsula trade network.
  3. c. 1001–1010Chichén Itzá · Yucatán StateDuring this period Chichén Itzá is believed to have been one of the strongest city-states of the Yucatán; sacred well sacrifices and calendrical ceremonies drew tribute from surrounding settlements, and the city's population and construction activity were at a peak.
  4. c. 1150–1200Chichén Itzá · Yucatán StateThe political center may have shifted to places such as Mayapán; large-scale construction in Chichén Itzá's core area ceased, but it remained a site of pilgrimage and sacrifice, and was still inhabited until before the Spanish conquest.

Sources