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Marvel of time
The Chichen Itza pyramid, or El Castillo, besides being one of the greatest monuments, also indicates the occurrence of a spring equinox. At the exact time of the spring equinox (vernal equinox in astronomer’s language), the rays of the sun highlight a plumed serpent, which seems to slither down the steps towards the well of sacrifice. Equinoxes are either of the two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length. The vernal equinox, marking the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, occurs about March 21-22 (depending upon the leap year), when the Sun moves north across the celestial equator. The autumnal equinox falls about September 22-23, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south. Chichen Itza sprawls over more than five sq km. The most famous building is the 78-ft structure that the Spaniards called El Castillo, the Castle, but which is actually the pyramid of Quetzalcoati. Snake motifs abound in the complex, but no where are they more impressive than on El Castillo, which was built to represent Snake Mountain, the place at which Mayans believe creation first occurred. The pyramid has helped archaeologists understand the Mayan astronomical system. The 91 steps on each of the four sides crowned by the delicate portico, each represent one day of the 365-day solar year. During the equinoxes, the sun throws a shadow that creates the illusion of a snake climbing up the stairs in March, and down the stairs in September. Climbing it is quite a challenge and those who make it are rewarded with a spectacular view of the city and surrounding countryside. Every year more than
40,000 people trek to the pyramid to watch as the snake’s
diamond-backed body slowly appears. A person standing on the top step
can speak in a normal voice and still be heard by those at the ground
level for some distance. |
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