Mexican Experts Say Original Pyramid Found at Chichen Itza

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Mexican Experts Say Original Pyramid Found at Chichen Itza - From the Associated Press/ Mexico/ News/ The Telegraph/ telegraph.co.uk

"Archaeologists have discovered what may be the original structure built at the pyramid of Kukulkan at the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, experts said on Wednesday.

Last year, archaeologists using electrical imagining techniques found that the pyramid, which is also known as El Castillo, was built atop a subterranean river, or a cenote.

Archaeologists have long known that a smaller pyramid is encapsulated underneath the visible temple.

Researchers said on Wednesday that they had detected an even smaller structure inside the other two structures. Using what is called tri-dimensional electric resistivity tomography, or "ERT-3D," they found a 10-meter (yard) tall structure within the 20-meter (yard) tall 'intermediate' pyramid that was covered over by the last construction stage, perhaps around 900 AD.

Archaeologist Denisse Lorenia Argote said "if we can research this structure in the future it could be important, because it could tell us about the first-period inhabitants" of the site...."

The Kukulkan temple in Chichen Itza, Mexico Credit: AP


Richard

 

[MuranoJo]

I found this to be really interesting and am looking forward to any updates along the way. Thx.

We visited a number of years ago when they still allowed visitors to walk up the steps. (Just FYI, we were there in July and noticed an ambulance there to haul off someone suffering heat stroke. Yes, it was very, very hot.)

 

[Phydeaux]

We were there when climbing to the top was still allowed, and heard that several days previously a tourist was taken away by ambulance because they tumbled down the steps. Never heard if that individual survived, or not.

If you climb the pyramid at Coba, or wherever else it's still allowed, exercise caution. They're steep.

 

[MuranoJo]

We were there when climbing to the top was still allowed, and heard that several days previously a tourist was taken away by ambulance because they tumbled down the steps. Never heard if that individual survived, or not.

If you climb the pyramid at Coba, or wherever else it's still allowed, exercise caution. They're steep.

One thing I noticed was the steps were very narrow (i.e., too narrow for my feet, so I'd have to step at kind of an angle going up. But I did great going up--it was the going down that made me a bit nervous and I could see how someone could take a tumble).

 

[dioxide45]

I would think taking a fall from a step high up would almost mean certain death. I can't believe they didn't require hand-railings when this was built, how irresponsible.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I believe Mexican law and courts are very different from US or Canadian courts or laws.

 

[MuranoJo]

I would think taking a fall from a step high up would almost mean certain death. I can't believe they didn't require hand-railings when this was built, how irresponsible.

Really. And why couldn't they have foreseen that the human footprint would increase over the years so that the step depths could handle size 12s?

 

[dioxide45]

Really. And why couldn't they have foreseen that the human footprint would increase over the years so that the step depths could handle size 12s?

They created one of the most accurate calendars and were able to place El Castillo in such a position to predict the equinoxes. Perhaps they should have spent less time on that and worried about us future generations??

 

[easyrider]

I would think taking a fall from a step high up would almost mean certain death. I can't believe they didn't require hand-railings when this was built, how irresponsible.

At Coba there is a huge rope in the center of the stairs of the main temple. Many people have no problem going up but many people do have a problem going down. My wife used the rope going down and since the rope is not elevated a person needs to sit and scooch all the way down.

Bill

 

[MuranoJo]

At Coba there is a huge rope in the center of the stairs of the main temple. Many people have no problem going up but many people do have a problem going down. My wife used the rope going down and since the rope is not elevated a person needs to sit and scooch all the way down.

Bill

That was the way it was at Chichen Itza--no problem going up, but going down was different, probably because you could see how high you were, ha. Many people were sitting and scooting down on their fannies.