The
Mayan pyramids were an integral source of communication between the
Maya and their deities; hence these were also called temples. This
Buzzle article will tell you about some famous Mayan pyramids that
stand even today, reflecting the mysteries and intelligence of the
Mayan culture.
Tagged Under: Mexico Mayan Culture Advertisement Mayan Pyramids The
name Tikal―one of the largest archeological sites, and a powerful
kingdom in Mayan history―translates to "place of whispers". The local
inhabitants say that the spirits of the ancient Mayans still wander
among the ruins of Tikal. Which is why, modern Mayans prefer not to
visit this place. The Mayan civilization was probably one of the
most powerful and mysterious civilizations in history. Religion played
a very important role in their lives. They believed in many gods such
as the sun god, moon god, god of the rain, and so on. The Maya closely
observed the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, and used their
observations to predict the forthcoming events. They also sacrificed
humans and animals to please these gods and save themselves from the
rage of these gods. The temple pyramids placed an important role for
the Mayans to perform their religious rituals and sacrifices.
The
Maya kings, known as "Kahul ajaw" (holy lords) were considered as the
mediators between these gods and the people. They claimed to be
descendants of these gods, and were the only ones who had the right to
conduct the religious ceremonies on these pyramid-shaped temples.
Features
Mayan
pyramids are of two types: (i) Not meant to be climbed; (ii) Meant for
climbing. The later type was often used for carrying out sacrificial
rituals, while the former type was sacred and not supposed to be
touched. The steps made on these pyramids were very steep and often had
doorways that lead to nowhere.
Most of the pyramids had a
platform on top, which had a smaller building dedicated to any of the
Mayan deities. When the priests or kings performed their rituals, they
ascended the pyramid on staircases, which symbolized rising from the
earth to the heavens, since they started from the ground level right up
to the temple on top. While some pyramids had two staircases, on either
side, others had four -- one on each side. Often, there would also be a
platform somewhere in the middle of the pyramid that would connect the
staircases, where the priest/king would halt and perform a part of his
ritual, and continuing to the topmost point.
Symbolism
According
to some historians, one of the reasons the pyramids were built so high
was that they served as landmarks for the Mayan people, since the tops
protruded from the jungle. Also, they served to remind the populace
that the gods were always present. To the Mayans, their pyramids also
represented mountains, while their temples symbolized caves that led to
the underworld. The doorways were representative of the mouths of
monsters, and hence were embellished accordingly. Since they were
excellent astronomers, they also used their pyramid structures as
observatories.
According to the customs of each region as well
as the time period, Mayan pyramids were built in a wide variety of
forms to serve many functions, apart from religious ones. According to
archaeological evidence, the ancient Mayans began building their
characteristic ceremonial structures, about 3,000 years back, which
were at first merely burial mounds.
Famous Mayan Pyramids
The
ancient Mayans built these huge structures without the help of any
wheels (which had not been invented then), metal tools, and
domesticated animals, since they were not commonly used in the region
they inhabited. The tools they had were very simple like basalt and
fire axes used on wood, and tools made of quartzite, limestone,
granite, obsidian, and flint. They also used a plumb bob for judging
the vertical accuracy of the structures they built.
Given below
are some of the many pyramids that once upon a time, flourished in the
expanses of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and in the verdant jungles
of Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala, that still leave visitors awestruck!
El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan), Chichén Itzá
Temple of Kukulkan at Chichén Itzá
El
Castillo, also known as the temple of Kukulkan (the feathered serpent)
was built around 1100 CE, this 180-square-ft pyramid has four
stairways, each with 91 steps. The total number of steps in this
pyramid adds up to 365 (including the top platform). Interestingly,
this number comes up to the number of days in the Mayan year.
Another
interesting feature about this temple is that during the spring and
autumn equinoxes, a serpent-shaped shadow falls on this pyramid. This
shadow descends the steps as the day passes, and eventually, during
sunset, it joins the stone structure of the serpent head that resides
at the base of the great staircase.
Also, some researchers say
that if you clap your hands in front of this temple, it answers back in
the voice of a bird, believed to be the sacred quetzal bird.
El Adivino (Pyramid of the Magician), Uxmal
Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal
What
makes El Advino different from the other Mayan structures is that it is
the only pyramid with rounded sides and an elliptical base. Not only is
it the tallest structure in Uxmal, there is also a very mysterious
legend associated with it.
Alternate names for this pyramid are:
Pyramid of the Soothsayer and Pyramid of the Dwarf. According to the
Mayan legend, it was built by Itzamná (the god of magic) and was meant
to be the training center of healers, shamans, and priests. Another
tale (among many) associated with this structure is this: A dwarf was
born through an egg, which was hatched by an old witch. On being
insisted by the witch, the dwarf challenged the king to compete with
him in a trial of strength. Among the many challenges was to build a
structure that should be highest in the city, or else the king would
kill the dwarf. With the help of his mother, the dwarf built this
pyramid overnight.
Another interesting fact about this pyramid
is that, twice a year, on April 12 and August 31, the doorway on the
west faces the setting sun directly. It shows the extraordinary
calculations of the Mayans, considering that the sun god was a
prominent god for the Mayans and these two dates were very important to
them.
Pyramids of Tikal
The lost city of Tikal was one of
the largest Mayan cities, and is located in Guatemala. There are many
pyramids in this city and more than 4,000 structures have been
discovered till now. Some of the pyramids in Tikal are listed below.
Temple of the Great Jaguar Temple I or Temple of the Great Jaguar
Also
known as Temple of Ah Cacao, Temple I was the tomb of one of the
greatest Mayan ruler Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, who ruled from 682-734 CE.
This temple was also built around the same time. It stands 145 ft above
the ground and consists of nine stepped levels, symbolizing the nine
levels of the underworld. The top room consist of the images of the
king. It is said that his tomb consisted of jaguar skin, jade, and
carved human bones with hieroglyphic text engraved on them.
Temple of the Masks Temple II or Temple of the Masks
Temple
II, also known as the Temple of the Masks, is said to have been built
by Jasaw Chan K'awiil I for his wife Lady Kalajuun Une' Mo', which
means "Twelve Macaw Tails". She was also the mother of Yik'in Chan
K'awiil -- the heir of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I. This pyramid is 125-ft
tall. There is an image of a royal woman on the doorway at the top
platform, believed to be Lady Kalajuun Une' Mo' herself. Her tomb has
not been discovered yet.
Temple of the Jaguar Priest Temple III or Temple of the Jaguar Priest
Temple
III, or the Temple of the Jaguar Priest is known to be the funerary
temple of Chi'taam, the last major ruler of Tikal. However, his tomb
has not been found till now. This pyramid consists of a finely sculpted
obese figure wrapped in jaguar skin, hence the name, 'Temple of the
Jaguar Priest'.
The Two-headed Serpent Temple Temple IV or The Two-headed Serpent Temple
Temple
IV, also known as the Two-headed Serpent Temple is the tallest pyramid
in Tikal measuring up to 212-ft. This temple was built in honor of the
27th king of Tikal, Yik'in Chan K'awiil. Experts believe that his tomb
lies undiscovered within this temple.
Temple 5 at Tikal Temple V
Temple
V, the second-tallest pyramid (190 ft) in Tikal is believed to be a
burial structure by experts. However, whom the temple was built for is
still unknown. Some experts suggest that this temple was built in honor
of Chaac, the Mayan rain god. This is because various large masks of
Chaac were found in this temple. Also, the temple is designed in such a
way that it faces towards the greatest water source in the city of
Tikal.
Temple of the Inscriptions at Tikal Temple VI or Temple of the Inscriptions
Temple
VI is also known as the Temple of the Inscriptions because of lengthy
inscriptions of hieroglyphic text on the roof comb of the temple,
measuring about 40 ft. This text records the significant events that
took place in Tikal, and is therefore of great importance to the
scholars.
The Lost World Pyramid, Tikal The Lost World Pyramid, Tikal
Mundo
Perdido, translates into the 'Lost World'. It is a huge ceremonial
complex consisting of various Mayan monuments, the most famous one
being the Lost World Pyramid or Structure 5C-54. This pyramid is 102 ft
high and has a maximum base width of 221 ft. Archeologists consider
this pyramid to be amongst the largest monuments in Tikal. Another
interesting aspect of this pyramid is that it was built over four
pyramids. Experts believe that the oldest among these four pyramids
dates back to 600 BCE. The current monument has stairways on the
eastern and western sides. These are extended to the top. The stairways
at the northern and southern sides can be climbed only till the eighth
level, out of the ten levels in the structure.
Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque, Mexico
The Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque The Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque
Yet
another fascinating Mayan structure is that of the Temple of the
Inscriptions (not to be confused with Temple VI at Tikal, which is also
known with the same name), in Palenque, Mexico. This was a funerary
pyramid built in the seventh century for king K'inich Janaab' Pakal
(Hanab Pakal). Three hieroglyphic tablets were discovered in the inner
walls of this temple. Recordings of events related to the king's life
and death are shown on these tablets. The inscription tablets also
emphasize that the events that have already taken place in the past
shall be repeated again on the same calendar date. This belief has also
been mentioned in the Books of Chilam Balam, which is a handwritten
document of the Mayans, reflecting their spiritual life.
La Danta, El Mirador
A
special mention goes to La Danta in El Mirador, which happens to be one
of the largest pyramids in the world, standing 230 ft above the forest
floor! It has a volume of 2.8 million cubic meters, making it the
largest pyramid in the world by volume. What makes it one of the
massive ancient structures in the world is the fact that it is a
man-made structure built on approximately 18,000 square meters!
There
are many more pyramids of various sizes and fame in the ancient Mayan
cities that had been built and inhabited by them in their glorious
period in history. Destinations including Calakmul, Copán, Tulum,
Caracol, Comalcalco, and the surrounding areas, consists of various
Mayan structures and artifacts that make you marvel on their mighty
reign. Recently, a 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid was bulldozed in Belize
by a construction crew. This act gained a lot of attention and was
stated as a tremendous loss to the archaeological field. Another recent
discovery was all over the news regarding the findings of an
extraordinary frieze in Guatemala city inside a Mayan pyramid that
dates to 600 CE.
This only proves that all the discoveries made
till date may be only the initial findings. As we dig deeper into these
ancient cities, there might be revelations beyond our imagination. As a
matter of fact, the presence of all these Maya ruins is a haunting
reminder of the sudden collapse and disappearance of their
civilization, which occurred around the 10th century, and still remains
as one of the enduring mysteries of the world.
