http://SaturnianCosmology.Org/ mirrored file For complete access to all the files of this collection see http://SaturnianCosmology.org/search.php ========================================================== *EL Castillo *(The Castle) *Click on an image to enlarge and for additional information on the site.* Castillothumb.jpg (2493 bytes) il.htm5.jpg (4202 bytes) Castil3 Thumb.jpg (5488 bytes) il.htm8Thumb.jpg (6753 bytes) Castil4 Thumb.jpg (5258 bytes) il.htm4 Thumb.jpg (3305 bytes) il.htm6 Thumb.jpg (5576 bytes) northernbasethumb.jpg (5208 bytes) Castil6 Thumb.jpg (4154 bytes) Castil7 Thumb.jpg (5479 bytes) castilloshadowThumb.jpg (2376 bytes) JuliecastilloThumb.jpg (4675 bytes) jaguar3 Thumb.jpg (4099 bytes) upperl1 Thumb.jpg (4371 bytes) il.htm9 Thumb.jpg (5271 bytes) ChichenDogThumb.jpg (4873 bytes) *Shadow Of The Equinox | The Legend of Quetzalcóatl <#Quetzalcoatl>* Cities of the Ancient Maya Homepage *General Information* Sometimes called "The Castle", "The Pyramid of Kukulkan", or the "Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl" (another name for Kukulkan from the Toltecs) this is easily the most impressive and widely recognized of the structures in Chichén Itzá or indeed anywhre in the Mayan region. A true masterpiece of the Toltec-Mayan architectural genius. About 60% of it has been restored almost fully from the decaying condition in which it was re-discovered by *John L. Stephens* <../../books/incidents.htm> in 1841 although the *eastern and southern faces* are still partially eroded by the forces of time and erosion. There are no plans to restore these two faces of the pyramid as those that restored the other portions wish for future generations to see the condition in which it was originally discovered. The base of this square structure is 60 yards (55.5 meters) on each side and rises to a height of 79 feet with 4 sloping walls leading to a temple at the top of the pyramid. It is composed of 9 tiers or sloping layers stacked on top of each other with the staircase up the center of each face. This means there are 18 tiers per face (as there are 9 on either side of the great staircases). The walls of these tiers are decorated with rectangular panels, with 52 panals visable per face. The main *stairway* is easily distinguished by the presence of two large serpent heads, representing the god Kukulkan, at the base. This is the northern-most staircase and faces towards the *Platform of Venus* as well as the *Sacred Cenote* . El Castillo was primarily built to represent *Snake Mountain*, the mystic place where creation first occurred in Mayan folklore. Snake mountain is a design practice adopted in Teotihuican as well as the Aztec capital of *Tenochtitlan*. Though brought to its full artistic maturity in Chichén Itzá, the design is much older than any of these cities. There are examples of the Snake Mountain design at Waxaktun and at Cerros as early as 100 BC. The *upright bodies of the snakes * that act as supports for the upper temple are meant to represent the "*/Kuxan Sum/*"* *or "Living cord" that connected the rulers of the earth with their gods. Nowhere in the Mayan world is there a larger or more impressive representation of the Snake Mountain design than in El Castillo, nor one with as much functionality as is detailed below. Snake Mountain was also where Xmucane, the first mother, used maize dough to mold the first humans at the beginning of the fourth creation. The visible structure seen today is at least the second temple built at this spot. Beneath the huge outer structure is a smaller temple of similar design. A small doorway on the west face of the northern stairs is the only access up a small stairway to the inner temple beneath. In this inner temple is another Chaac Mool and a jaguar throne, sealed off to tourists by an iron gate. The Maya were known to be great mathematicians and are credited with the invention of the "zero" in their counting system. They were also great astronomers, and EL Castillo is a perfect marriage of their sciences with their religion. By far the most amazing aspect of the pyramid is the accuracy, *significance, and relevance * it has within the Mayan calendar and social system. There are many numerical details regarding the location of this structure that could not have all occurred by accident. Each side of the pyramid is made up of nine larger tiers or layers with a staircase in the center of each side leading to the temple at the top. Each stairway consists of ninety one steps, with one step at the top common to all four sides, for a total of three hundred and sixty five steps, the exact number of days in a solar year. Each side of the pyramid has fifty two rectangular panels, equal to the number of years in the Mayan cycle (at the conclusion of which they typically constructed a newer structure over an older one). The stairways divide the tiers on any given side into two sets of nine for a total of 18 tiers which corresponds to the 18 months in the Mayan calendar. The "square" that makes up the overall base of the structure is exactly 18 degrees from the vertical. Every aspect of the structure relates in some way to the Maya and their culture. The very physical presence of this structure and the shadows it casts, are also significant within the Mayan culture and are more fully explained in here the section detailing the *Shadow Of The Equinox. *The Maya universe was comprised of 13 "compartments" in 7 levels with each compartment being ruled over by a different god. El Castillo reflects these beliefs as seen in the shadows it casts. 7 levels are shown in the 7 light triangles. 7 Triangles of light and 6 darker triangles give 13 triangles in all corresponding to the 13 overall levels of the underworld. Suffice it to sum up here and say, the pyramid casts unique and identifiable shadows on the exact days of the year that represent the solstice and equinox that occur twice a year. This shows the Maya were aware of the rotation of the sun and the exact length of a year. Indeed, we know that the *Mayan Calendar * <../../themaya/calendar.htm>was more accurate than the one we use today. On the west side of the base of the northern staircase there is an entrance to a smaller inner structure. This inner structure existed alone and was a pyramid similar to the main outer one that was covered over after the 52 year cycle was complete. This inner temple resembled the outer one in that it also was made up of a nine terraced pyramid with a temple at the top. There are only sixty one steps to this inner structure and the temple contains a stone statue of the reclining *Chaac-Mool* (which means"red claw") That can also be found at the portico of the *Temple of the Warriors* . Also with Chaac-Mool in this antechamber is a stone Jaguar, also worshipped by the Maya after the Toltec influenced them in this belief, that may have served as the throne for a leader or high priest. When first found, this throne had a delicately wrough Turquise mosiac disk sitting on it. The staircase leading up to this inner chamber is enclosed by the larger structure over top of it and it is a very small stairway by modern standards. Barely six feet high and three feet wide, with slick damp stones for steps, some may find it difficult to enter and it is not for the claustrophobic. The stairs are smooth and slick and are narrow enough that people going up may not be able to pass people on the way down. *The Legend of Quetzalcóatl* The legend of Quetzalcóatl is well known to Mexican children. It is the origin of how the plumed serpent god, originally from the Toltec region of central Mexico, came to be known to the Maya. It tells of a man who was revered as a great mystical leader much in the same ilk as Britain's King Arthur. Though there is some evidence to suggest that Quetzalcóatl was actually a living man that ruled the Toltecs. He first appeared to the people of Teotehuican near current day Mexico City, and taught the Toltecs all of their arts and science and became their ruler and led thir city to great prosperity and importance. He eventually fell in disgrace for violating his own laws and set himself on fire. He rose in flames to become the planet Venus and vowed to return one day to his people. After this event, all priests in the Toltec cult were given the title of Quetzalcóatl. One such priest by the name of *Ce Acatl Topiltzin* rose to power and proclaimed himself as the second coming of Quetzalcóatl returning as promised, and in 968 AD became king of the Toltec people once again. He reigned for decades and built the Toltec capital of Tula. Eventually he was disposed of by his enemies and this time sailed east on a raft of snakes, vowing, like the first Quetzalcóatl, to return one day to rule his people. It is this snake reference that has caused the artwork depicting Quetzalcóatl as emerging, or being "reborn" as he emerges from the mouth of a serpent. This raft of snakes carried Quetzalcóatl east and south across the gulf of Mexico to a Yucatan beach. By coincidence, the Mayan people were, at this time, expecting the return of their plumed serpent god Kukulkan. Kukulkan, in the same fashion as Quetzalcóatl, promised to return to rule his people after being forced to leave, and he was greeted as the returning Kukulkan by those that discovered him. *Topiltzin-Quetzalcóatl-Kukulkan *became the king of the Itzá Maya and rebuilt the ancient capital of Chichén Itzá. Massive stone sculptures reflecting his image as the plumed serpent god were built in his honor and can be seen in a large portion of their artwork. His enemies eventually caught up with him again and he fled to *Uxmal* <../uxmal/uxmal.htm> where he committed suicide and, according to legend, was buried under the *Temple of the Dwarf* <../uxmal/pyramiddwarf.htm> where he remains to this day, though no burial plot has yet been discovered. Cities of the Ancient Maya Homepage Apart from the religious and ceremonial significance to the structure, it is believed to have an additional, more sinister purpose to its design. It is believed that maya priests would sacrifice hundreds of captured enemy warriors at the top of its steps and, in some cases before the body had completely died, would throw the bodies down the steep steps. Now, before they were cast down they typically had their hearts cut out so ensuring their demise with such a horrific fall wasn't in question. More likely it was symbolic of the priests in casting the enemy away from the sacred temple atop of El Castillo, signifying that the unfortunate prisoner was not worthy to stand upon Snake Mountain. The base of the steps would be heaped with dozens of bodies after such a ceremony.