“The ruins of Chichen Itza illustrate the glory and majesty of one of the largest cities built by the Maya. These ruins are also impressions of influences attributable to the Toltecs, who came from central Mexico. The site presents a set of pyramids, temples and terraces remarkably well preserved. Chichen Itza enjoyed great growth between the seventh and ninth centuries AD but was abandoned shortly thereafter. The city was repopulated in the twelfth century, when the Toltecs from central Mexico invaded the Yucatan and began to mix their culture with that of the Maya.
Of gods and warriors of the two cultures are represented in stone carvings are still visible today. The city was abandoned again in the fourteenth century, but without losing its status as a place of pilgrimage.
A small museum at the main entrance, features sculptures, reliefs and showcases the history maya.L one of the first buildings you see when entering the site name El Castillo is 24 m height. At the top, you will enjoy excellent views across the site. This pyramid was built in the eighth century, well before the arrival of the Toltecs, but was later amended to incorporate themes Toltec. The temple at the summit is dedicated to Kukulcán, the feathered serpent who was one of the most important gods of the Toltec culture.
Archaeologists and numerologists speculated that this pyramid could represent the Mayan calendar carved in stone. Four steps oriented towards the cardinal points each have 91 steps. By adding the upper platform, we have a total of 365, a march for each day of the solar calendar.
To the west of El Castillo is one of seven ball fields where we practiced a religious game that sometimes ended in human sacrifice. Sculptures located near this location are also players decapitated. This court, 135 m long and 65 meters wide, is surrounded by walls of stone and has amazing acoustic properties, sound, bringing to nearly far enough.
The Temple of the Bearded man, named after an image that appears on one of its walls, has several columns and carved bas-reliefs. The Temple of the Jaguars, nearby reveals columns and tables surrounded by sculptures of snakes and jaguars. At the Temple of Skulls, located between the temple of the Jaguars and El Castillo, you’ll see a stone platform showing rows of human skulls and eagles tearing human hearts. Equally horrific images appear on another platform nearby.”
Source: http://www.lookfordiagnosis.com/videos.php?title=chichen+itza+ballcourt+carvings&content=…+MVI+2648+…&lang=5
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FuQrq8hNMI
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWY9jSiiaps
(via centuriespast)
Brb….whilst my soul is eaten by this game!
(Source: iraffiruse)
(via ageofreason)
Had an awesome holiday, read a few neat books too:
Hunter S Thompson - The Rum Diary
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
Aldous Huxley - Brave New World
Slavoj Zizek - For They Know Not What They Do (Enjoyment as a Political Factor)
Highly recommend them all, the latter is pretty heavy going though.
Adios
Philosophy
- Ancient Philosophy – iTunes – Feed – Stream – David Ebrey, UC Berkeley
- Death – YouTube – iTunes – Download Course – Shelly Kagan, Yale
- Existentialism in Literature & Film – iTunes – Feed – Hubert Dreyfus, UC Berkeley
- Heidegger – iTunes – Feed – MP3s – Hubert Dreyfus, UC Berkeley
- Heidegger’s Being & Time – Feed – MP3s – Hubert Dreyfus, UC Berkeley
- Introduction to Political Philosophy – YouTube – iTunes – Download Course, Steven B. Smith, Yale
- Introduction to Practical Reasoning and Critical Analysis of Argument, iTunes – Daniel Coffeen, UC Berkeley
- Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? – YouTube – Michael Sandel, Harvard
- Kant’s Epistemology – iTunes – Dr Susan Stuarts, University of Glasgow.
- Man, God and Society in Western Literature – iTunes – Feed – Hubert Dreyfus, UC Berkeley
- Philosophy for Beginners – iTunes – Marianne Talbot, Oxford
- Proust & Philosophy – Feed – Johns Hopkins
- The Examined Life – iTunes – Greg Reihman, Lehigh University
Sandrine Piau - Vivaldi’s ‘Cum Dederit’
Pretty sweet deal 47% off