The Mayan Pyramids were built by the Mayan people who lived in Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. The Pyramids were built nearly 3,000 years ago. People believe that greatest tourist attraction in Mexico and Central America. Mayan Pyramids rose above the Jungle to stand for a landmark. The complicated design of the Mayan pyramids of Teotihuacan features avenues, plazas and 600 pyramids amid a sacred landscaped complex man made mountains and foothills. The greatest pyramid in the complex is the Pyramid of the Sun, which was built on top of a natural cave containing 4 chambers.
Some pyramids have an inner layer of mica that comes from Brazil which is 2,000 miles away without the benefit of wheeled transportation. Other Mayan pyramids were covered with stucco that left unattended would turn to mud. Many pyramids featured elaborate decorative murals, including the Teotihuacan Spider Woman, a goddess believed by the Mayans to have created the universe. The Spider Woman is a deity closely related to the Spider Grandmother, who is prominent in Navajo and Pueblo mythology.
At the Mayan pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza, ball courts were erected. The largest was the Great Ballcourt of Chichen Itza that measures 545 feet long and 225 feet wide. The ends of the court have raised "temple" areas that enhanced the acoustics and allowed voices to be heard at either end of the court.
The coastal Tulum site in the Yucatan is partially surrounded by a 3 sided, 16 foot thick wall that has five gates. The site features a city square or plaza where shopkeepers and artisans plied their trade. It was named Tulum, which means “descending god” or “diving god.”
Sources
usatoday.com
Wikipedia.org
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