Take a look around, campers! The year is 750 AD, and we’ve landed on the beautiful northern beaches of Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. You might be standing in modern day Cancun, but this is no time for a vacation — we are explorers! We’ve got work to do. To the north and due west of where we’re standing, the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico surround us. To the east, there’s even more water, and just on the horizon, you can see the world’s largest Caribbean island, Cuba. To the south looms a dense forest. There’s only one direction we can go… it’s time to head into the trees and find what adventure awaits us!
For two days, we wander the forest. Along the way, we dodge jaguars and snakes, and befriend kinkajous and armadillos. With so much ecological diversity, it’s amazing you can even think with how loud the forest actually is! After lots of walking, climbing and crawling, you notice that the trees have started to thin. We’ve made it to the edge of the forest! In the clearing, a massive, bustling city vibrates with activity. Civilization, at last! The city is full of huge stone buildings, each one decorated with hand-carved, intricate depictions of the roaring mouths of beasts and monsters. You’ve discovered the urban center of Maya culture, the city of Chichen Itza! …show more content…
Known as El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan, this pyramid is an essential part of Maya culture. It’s used for religious and ceremonial purposes, and a few practical ones as well. It’s actually a giant calendar! It has 365 steps — one for each day of the year — which helped the Maya people mark the passage of
For two days, we wander the forest. Along the way, we dodge jaguars and snakes, and befriend kinkajous and armadillos. With so much ecological diversity, it’s amazing you can even think with how loud the forest actually is! After lots of walking, climbing and crawling, you notice that the trees have started to thin. We’ve made it to the edge of the forest! In the clearing, a massive, bustling city vibrates with activity. Civilization, at last! The city is full of huge stone buildings, each one decorated with hand-carved, intricate depictions of the roaring mouths of beasts and monsters. You’ve discovered the urban center of Maya culture, the city of Chichen Itza! …show more content…
Known as El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan, this pyramid is an essential part of Maya culture. It’s used for religious and ceremonial purposes, and a few practical ones as well. It’s actually a giant calendar! It has 365 steps — one for each day of the year — which helped the Maya people mark the passage of