The Aztec and Mayan pyramids excite the minds of not only various researchers. To the astonished tourists, the guides tell stories related to a long-vanished civilization, from which the blood runs cold. These amazing architectural monuments are reluctant to share their secrets, so humanity can only sum up all the information that is known about the pyramids.
Where the Mayan pyramids are located
From the history course taught at school, three civilizations of ancient America are known. Maya, Aztecs, Incas. Each of these peoples occupied their territory. The central part of Mexico was occupied by the Aztecs, the southern part, as well as El Salvador, Guatemala, and the western part of Honduras by the Maya. In the west of South America, the Incas were located, which, according to scientists, were not seen in the construction of the pyramids.
Where are the Mayan pyramids? The path to them passes through the jungle to abandoned ancient cities, of which little remains. One of these settlements is Chichen Itza. However, researchers among themselves call it Disneyland. Above thisnot only archaeologists, but also restorers have already managed to work with the complex. It is already quite difficult to make out where among all this splendor the reconstruction is, and where the ancient buildings are. This circumstance does not stop the hordes of tourists who want to touch the incomprehensible ancient culture.
Differences from the Egyptian "sisters"
The Mayan pyramids have their own characteristic features that sharply distinguish them from the Egyptian ones. First you need to pay attention to the fact that they are stepped. There are no sloping edges and there is always a ladder. She leads to the top. Another interesting difference between the Mayan pyramids is the presence of additional structures. Scientists do not know exactly their functional purpose, but agreed to consider them temples. Generally speaking, this whole complex complex was not intended for the burial of rulers. At the very top, cruel bloody rituals with human sacrifices were carried out.
The angles of inclination of the faces in the Mayan pyramids are greater than those of the Egyptian ones. Also, in terms of construction technology, they are significantly inferior in their simplicity to analogues available in Egypt.
Chichen Itza
In Mexico is the ancient city of Chichen Itza. This vanished civilization had a deep knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, architecture. Judging by the information that has come down to our times, over 30,000 people lived in the city. Among the lush vegetation of the jungle, the ruins of more than 30 buildings with the most important attractions, along withMayan pyramids, Chichen Itza: the temple of Kukulkan and the Well of sacrifices (or death).
Huge deposits of limestone, ubiquitous throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, supplied the necessary material for construction. Archaeologist Memo de Anda has found irrefutable evidence of limestone mining just 500 meters in the jungle from the temple of Kukulkan. To present the full scale of architectural monuments, it is necessary to give a brief description of them.
Well of Sacrifices (Sacred Cenote)
At the heart of the temple of warriors is another Mayan pyramid, which has 4 levels. The size of its base is 40 by 40 meters. But the natural reservoir located near it is better known to the world - the so-called Well of sacrifices (death). The Indians endowed it with mystical properties. This funnel-shaped depression with a diameter of 60 meters was first described by Bishop Diego de Landa. He described a strange rite of the Indians who threw young beautiful girls and precious stones into this reservoir. All these actions were aimed at propitiating the bloodthirsty gods.
Thanks to the efforts of the tireless American researcher Edward Thompson, these data were confirmed. He had the courage to plunge himself into the mysterious waters of the mystical well at the beginning of the 20th century. Now numerous careless tourists are throwing coins there. According to legend, you can make a wish in this pond. Only the price of its execution will be much more expensive, and you won’t get off with one coin.
Temple of Kukulkan
Photo of the Mayan pyramid,dedicated to the winged snake deity Kukulkan, is the most recognizable in the world. This grandiose structure has recently again attracted the attention of numerous researchers. Scientist René Chavez Segura applied 3D electrical imaging tomography. What he found there made it possible to call his discovery the "Mayan matryoshka".
It all started with the fact that the archaeologist wanted to know the real thickness of the visible walls. Suddenly, the scanner detected the presence of secret rooms. There are three of them in total. Each of these buildings is located in the pyramid according to the principle of nesting dolls. Under the processed facade of the building of the ancient Mayan pyramid is a layer of rubble. And under it is an even more ancient structure - a pyramid. Its staircase leads to a sacred temple with two rooms. In the center is a throne in the shape of a jaguar with jade eyes. In addition, there is a statue of a man - Chakmool.
Specialists explain this by the fact that the ancient Maya did not practice the demolition of old structures. They just started new construction on top of the existing one.
But this is not all the discoveries associated with this temple. Another karst funnel with a lake about 20 meters deep was discovered.
Incomprehensible sarcophagus
It is generally accepted that, unlike the Egyptians, the Maya used their grandiose structures exclusively as temples, and not as tombs. This is not entirely true. The Mayan pyramids are located in the impenetrable jungle on the territory of ancient once abandoned cities, however, they are interconnected by excellent land communications, including bridges, roads and evenroad stations. The capital of this empire is the city of Palenque, where an artifact was found, which, according to Erich von Däniken, is another proof of human contacts with aliens.
Until 1949, it was believed that the Mayan pyramids in Mexico were exclusively objects of worship. Terrible bloody sacrifices took place on their top. Thanks to the accidental discovery of a hatch leading to the burial chamber, another secret of the disappeared civilization was revealed to the world. In this chamber, in addition to the remains of people - victims of numerous ceremonies, they found a sarcophagus. Scientists could not resist and opened its lid weighing 5 tons. Under it was found the corpse of a rather large man and a lot of jade jewelry.
But the stone bas-relief and the restored death mask of the deceased made the most noise. In the drawing of the bas-relief, according to Erich von Däniken, Alexander Kazantsev and a number of other researchers, one can easily recognize an apparatus of unknown purpose piloted by some person. This is a rather controversial opinion, but what is surprising is the death mask.
If you believe the Mexican scientists who restored the appearance of its owner, it turns out that this is a person whose nose starts on the forehead just above the eyebrows. Such "nasalists" do not belong to any of the known races of people.
Whatever it was, but the Mayan pyramids will be the subject of careful research and heated debate for a long time to come. It is too early to put an end to this issue.
