The Itza people who lived in Chichen Itza show more great affinities with nature than just the natural Sacred Cenote, showing several connections with the nearby animals in the forests. For example, several of the locations within Chichen Itza are named after these creatures, such as ‘Platform of the Eagles’, ‘House of the Deer’, and ‘Temple of the Jaguar’ (Evans, 2004: 388). The Platform of the Eagles is decorated with carvings depicting eagles and jaguars eating human hearts, probably referring to human sacrifice, but showing the power and strength of these creatures nonetheless (Miller, 1999: 66). This suggests the Itza encountered these animals, and that they decided they were worthy of naming sites after and depicting them, which shows great respect for the forest and its creatures.
The Itza people shared many belief traits with the typical Mayan traditions, but, unlike many other traditional Mayan societies, they began practicing pan-Mesoamerican belief systems (Evans, 2004: 389). This includes the worshipping of a ‘Feathered Serpent’ deity, which some believe the human bearer of this title is buried within the ‘Castillo’ temple at Chichen Itza, due to its many Feathered Serpent representations (Miller, 1999: 65). Within the Castillo, another earlier version of the building remains, including its jaguar-shaped throne. Some people feel this structure is the mysterious place known as ‘Snake Mountain’, a fundamental location within Mesoamerican creationism (Miller, 1999: 65). This all furthers the suggestion that the Itza were heavily connected with the nature around them, but also suggests the movement of ideas at the time, as well as trade routes from the coast.
As far as environmental archaeology goes, we can see that the area was clearly the home to particular animals, as the Itza people show a knowledge of them, and to depict them, must have seen them before. The Sacred Cenote we see today at Chichen Itza was also present in the time of the Mayans, from artifacts discovered within it showing the aforementioned sacrifices that took place there. The landscape could well be the same today as it was over a millennium ago, though upon its rediscovery in 1840 by Stephens it was described as an ‘overgrown ruin’ (Miller, 1999: 64), meaning many more new trees must have grown. Other than this, the Itza themselves must have made a distinct impact upon the environment that was there before them, not only the monumental buildings themselves, but also the artifacts, and the Itza must have cut down trees to use for structures and for creating clearings.
The state Chichen Itza was left in upon its people’s departure showed signs of a violent downfall, and was part of the collapse of the Classical Maya in the 9th and 10th Centuries AD. The collapse of Chichen Itza is believed to largely be due to a failure in the city’s organization, and some people believe it could have been down to an attack from a neighbouring city such as Tula, which had at one time been extremely close to Chichen Itza (Miller, 1999: 68). Once the city and the entire Mayan Empire had fallen, Chichen Itza was deserted and all but the Sacred Cenote was abandoned. It is believed that Chichen Itza’s upkeep continued well into the 15th Century by the visitors to the cenote, though is believed to have ceased soon after, as by the 19th Century, as described above, Stephens found it overgrown and unkept.
Overall, the central American site of Chichen Itza embraces its environment and the people who lived there at the height of its power, in the Classic and Terminal periods of Mayan history, were clearly knowledgeable about the local area and their environment. The use of the Sacred Cenote within the society demonstrates an important connection between the Mayan culture and the environment, particularly if the sacrifices left there were for a rain god during seasons of drought. The depictions of animals that can be seen all over Chichen Itza (In the Great Ball Court, on and in the Castillo, and around the ‘Platform of the Eagles’) show that these people, the Itza, highly regarded animals, and probably respected them for their beauty and grace, as well as the fact some of them were very dangerous and perhaps the Itza believed respecting them and representing them could protect them from animal attacks. The same animals are represented within the names of the individual temples at Chichen Itza, too.
This connection between the Itza people and their environment has been proved by archaeological evidence, such as underwater archaeological excavations carried out at the Sacred Cenote, and searching within the Castillo temple at the site. If further excavations were held at Chichen Itza I feel more of the same would turn up, such as depictions of animals and other connections with the forest surrounding the city.
Bibliography
C. Renfrew and P. Bahn, Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice
(Fourth Edition), London (1991, 1996, 2000, 2004).
M.E. Miller, Maya Art and Architecture, London (1999).
S.T. Evans, Ancient Mexico & Central America: Archaeology and Culture
History, London (2004).
