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Title: Chichen Itza

Subtitle: The History and Mystery of the Mayan's Most Famous City

Author: Jesse Harasta, Charles River Editors

Narrator: Doug Miller

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-29-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

Chichen Itza was inhabited for hundreds of years and was a very influential center in the later years of Maya civilization. At its height, Chichen Itza may have had over 30,000 inhabitants, and with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory and several temples, the builders of this city exceeded even those at Uxmal in developing the use of columns and exterior relief decoration. Of particular interest at Chichen Itza is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole was a focus for Maya rituals around water. Because adequate supplies of water, which rarely collected on the surface of the limestone based Yucatan, were essential for adequate agricultural production, the Maya here considered it of primary importance. Underwater archaeology carried out in the cenote at Chichen Itza revealed that offerings to the Maya rain deity Chaac (which may have included people) were tossed into the sinkhole.

Although Chichen Itza was around for hundreds of years, it had a relatively short period of dominance in the region, lasting from about 800-950 A.D. Today, tourists are taken by guides to a building called the Nunnery for no good reason other than the small rooms reminded the Spaniards of a nunnery back home. Similarly the great pyramid at Chichen Itza is designated El Castillo ("The Castle"), which it almost certainly was not, while the observatory is called El Caracol ("The Snail") for its spiral staircase. Of course, the actual names for these places were lost as the great Maya cities began to lose their populations, one by one. Chichen Itza was partially abandoned in 948, and the culture of the Maya survived in a disorganized way until it was revived at Mayapán around 1200. Why Mayan cities were abandoned and left to be overgrown by the jungle is a puzzle that intrigues people around the world today, especially those who have a penchant for speculating on lost civilizations.

Chichen Itza: The History and Mystery of the Mayan's Most Famous City comprehensively covers the history of the city, as well as the speculation surrounding the purpose of Chichen Itza and the debate over the buildings.

Members Reviews:

Great Information

I'm planning a trip to Cozumel, the Mayan Riviera and my last stop is Chichen Itza. I felt compelled to read up on this ancient Mayan city to get a good understanding and sense of what I'll be embarking on witnessing and touring. The book presents a great deal of information giving you a taste of the history, culture, and foundation of this ancient Mayan city. The photos without a doubt compliment the information presented making me all the more intrigued to discover and tour this Seven Wonder of the World.

Leaves you wanting more.

I enjoyed this book, and it's great as a synopsis, but there is so much more that could have been covered. What was inside El Castillo? How was it discovered? I guess I'm just looking for more details. I'll look elsewhere.

Woefully brief and out of date. The blurry print ...

Woefully brief and out of date. The blurry print process makes it difficult to read and the photo reproductions are all blurry.

Super Book ! !

Excellent book. I read it and took it with me to Cancun last week. It was a great reference after I listened to tour guides.