The Sacred Cenote A pathway, one of the original network of roads (or sacbe's) goes to the north of the Pyramid some few hundred yards to the Sacred Cenote. The cenotes are natural sinkholes that likely provided the main water supply to this and other settlements. In this case however the site was also used for ceremonial purposes. Early dredging of the cenote uncovered numerous artifacts (including jade, jewelry, figurines, pottery, etc.) that had apparently been offerings to the rain god Chaac.At the same time the remains of around 50 human beings, mostly children, were turned up. Many say that this is conclusive evidence of human sacrifice, but the alternative opinion asks why people would pollute their water supply with human remains. They also point out that the site was occupied for over 500 years and given the populations levels here an occasional accidental drowning would not be unusual.
History
Cenote Sagrado
Northern Yucatán is arid, and the interior has no above-ground rivers. There are two large, natural sink holes, called cenotes, that could have provided plentiful water year round at Chichen, making it attractive for settlement. Of the two cenotes, the "Cenote Sagrado" or Sacred Cenote (also variously known as the Sacred Well or Well of Sacrifice), is the more famous. According to post-Conquest sources (Maya and Spanish), pre-Columbian Maya sacrificed objects and human beings into the cenote as a form of worship to the Maya rain god Chaac. Edward Herbert Thompson dredged the Cenote Sagrado from 1904 to 1910, and recovered artifacts of gold, jade, pottery, and incense, as well as human remains.[7] A recent study of human remains taken from the Cenote Sagrado found that they had wounds consistent with human sacrifice
Cenote Sagrado
Northern Yucatán is arid, and the interior has no above-ground rivers. There are two large, natural sink holes, called cenotes, that could have provided plentiful water year round at Chichen, making it attractive for settlement. Of the two cenotes, the "Cenote Sagrado" or Sacred Cenote (also variously known as the Sacred Well or Well of Sacrifice), is the more famous. According to post-Conquest sources (Maya and Spanish), pre-Columbian Maya sacrificed objects and human beings into the cenote as a form of worship to the Maya rain god Chaac. Edward Herbert Thompson dredged the Cenote Sagrado from 1904 to 1910, and recovered artifacts of gold, jade, pottery, and incense, as well as human remains.[7] A recent study of human remains taken from the Cenote Sagrado found that they had wounds consistent with human sacrifice