The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-07-20
mr. cESZZLO az CNSZIE

Yucatan is a vast limestone formation with lit
tie or no surface water. One may travel for
miles and miles and never cross river or brook
or even chance upon modest spring Indeed,
in the northern part, where most OF the great
ruined cities are located water is fully 10 feet
below the surface of the ground. The modern
inhabitants overcome this difficulty by means
Of wells and windmills, which afford the only
source of water supply during the dry sea
son December TO Junel excepting what little
rain We er may have been caught during the
rainy II onthS and stored in Cisterns.
But Of wells and windmills the ancient May
as knew nothing and. generally speaking, had
1t not been for the great natural reservoirs
which nature had scattered here and there
over the country Yucatan never could have
been colonized
These great natural wells, or, as the Mayas
call them cenotes, are found all over Yucatan.
They are usually about 100 feet in diameter. or
sometimes more, and about. 10 feet in depth 10
the level of the water. Biologists say that
these cenOtes places where the limestone
crust which everywhere covers the surface
of Yucatan has become weakened by the
washing of subterranean waters and has cal
lapsed of its own weight, forming great sink
holes or natural wells on large scale And
now il is clear why the ancient inhabitants
of Chichen liza so named their city. In the
course of their wanderings, the general trend
OF which was nOrthw2rd, the ltZas, entering
Yucatan from the south, finally reached the
two ceuotes around which Chichen liza later
was built but which then was probably moth
trg but wilderness Here the striking contrast
afforded by such abundance of water in
country so generally parched could not fail to
have attracted their attention. The place must
have seemed to the thirsty wanderers a God
given site for the location of their new home.
BY right of discovery they claimed the place,
and TO the city which grew up around the cen
otos they gave the name of Chichen liza. The
Mou h Of the Wells of the Itzas."
The two cenotes at Chichen liza have been
known by the Mayas from time immemorial
as the Cenote GranGe and the Cenote Sacra.
or the large CenOte and the Sacren Cenote, re-
spectiyeiy The first of these only in former
times was used for the water supply Of the
city the Sacred Cenote being reserved for
ligious use exclusively. It is the latter, how
ever and the religious observances held in
connection with it, which gave the city it's
holy character. From far and near all over
Yucaan, and probably even from points more
distant pilgrimages were made to the Sacred
CenOte 1t seems to have been the most holy
shrine of the Maya people, comparable only
in importance to the Mohammedan Mecca and
the Christian Jerusalem. In time of drought
offerings Of all kinds were thrown into it
treasures and in cases OF extremity even liv-
ing human sacrifices
Chichen liza today is somewhat changed in
appearance from the time when pilgrims came
from far and near to appease with human sac
rifce the wrath of offended deites. Now the
city lies buried in a thick jungle. which has
steadily won its way into the very heart of
the holy place Colonnades have been over
thrown and pyramids covered with trees to
their summit; courts have been lost in
tangle of thorn and creepers and palaces
stripped Of their sculptured establishment.
Desoation has spread everywhere In the
wake of the encroaching vegetation.