Voyage of Discovery 9

"I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit."
Khalil Gibran

Our last stop on the cruise is at Cozumel, an island off the coast of Mexico.  It's a popular beach resort so we've opted to head across to the mainland for a visit to the equally popular Chichen Itza, the Maya city archaeological site on the Yucatan peninsula.  Thought to be one of the largest Maya cities, it's also  likely to have been one of the mythical great cities referred to in later literature.

Off the ship and along the pier, onto another boat, the ferry over to the mainland takes about 45 minutes to board our coach for the two hour journey through the Yucatan forest and dense scrub.  Our guide gives us plenty of background to the Maya, he's one - but like all guides probably best to take what's said with  pinch of salt as there's much debate and difference of informed opinion about the Maya civilization.  They were noted for their developed system of  writing, as well as art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, the calendar of course - oh, and not forgetting human sacrifice.  The sacrifice was an important means for them of communicating with the Gods, and it's thought to have been an honour to be chosen to be a messenger to the Gods.

Their influence extended over a large area of central America, from Southern Mexico down to Honduras and El Salvador -  an area larger than "mainland" UK.  Recent Lidar surveys show extensive city states with surrounding agricultural areas, indicating very advanced and developed cultures with complex trading routes, probably from around 250 AD onwards - in other words well before anything comparable appeared in Europe.  But by 800-900 AD the system was collapsing and cities were being abandoned, well before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. 

Much of the remaining Maya culture was systematically destroyed by the European invaders, although fortunately some remnants survived to give a glimpse of what existed before.  Maya cities like Chichen Itza seem to have expanded haphazardly, around centres occupied by ceremonial and administrative buildings, principal among which were step pyramid temples [photographed], ceremonial ballcourts and buildings aligned for astronomical observation.  Their complex system of hieroglyphic writing adorning the buildings, stelae and ceramics together with three screenfold books which survived give some insight into their lives, history and ritual practices. It was a fascinating introduction to the Maya way of life.