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The Mayans, a group of indigenous people who inhabited Mexico and parts of Central America between the tenth and fifteenth centuries, left behind them an archaeological goldmine from their time in power on the Yucatan Peninsula. This place, known as Chichen Itza, acted as a major hub during Mayan rule–having numerous routes that connected the city to ports on the water, as well as other primary cities in Mesoamerica at the time–and had an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 residents in its peak (Volta et. al #). The name Chichen Itza roughly translates to “The Mouth of the Well of the Itza”. The etymology behind the name refers to the cenotes, areas of caved-in ground rock that collected rain water, which the Mayans often used as wells to source fresh water for the city, given that no rivers exist in the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula (Ruz 4). However, in addition to the general use of cenotes for sourcing fresh water, one particular cenote, the Sacred Cenote had a spiritual connection for the Mayans. They believed that superior beings inhabited both an underworld and the sky above them and they went to great lengths to appease the gods and devine bodies who inhabited these other worlds. One ritual they performed, as an attempt to please the gods, was pilgrimages to the Sacred Cenote which ended in a human sacrifice.  The Mayans believed the Sacred Cenote connected them to the world of higher powers and thus performed sacrifices here as a way to come closest with the gods while worshipping them. Evidence of sacrifices having occurred at the Sacred Cenote is demonstrated through archaeologists’ finding of human bones within this cenote. The bones that have been found display evidence of injuries that imply they would have happened close to the person’s time of death and thus support sacrifice as the cause of death (Clynes). While the information known at this time about the Mayans, including these practices and beliefs, come together to paint a picture of who once lived in this ancient city, the painting is incomplete.

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The Mayans completed the construction of their ancient city of Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico during the eleventh century. The city, a series of twenty groups of structures including pyramids, cenotes, temples, terraces, a ball court, a tomb, and a market come together to form this world renowned architectural site that still holds incredible importance, power, and influence to numerous individuals and groups of stakeholders in the modern world ("Pre-Hispanic City"). These stakeholders include, but are not limited to, Mayan descendants, archaeologists, historians, tourists, Yucatan locals, the Mexican government, and scholars. As a result, Chichen Itza, recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site for being “among the undisputed masterpieces of Mesoamerican architecture”, “exert[ing] an influence throughout the entire Yucatan cultural zone from the 10th to the 15th century”, and for being the “most important archaeological vestige of the Maya-Toltec civilization in Yucatan”, holds incredible influence ("Pre-Hispanic City"). Preservation of this incredible ancient city in addition to continued research about its history relies on serious efforts made by the aforementioned stakeholders. If these crucial contributions are made, society, including those most invested in the site, can continue to learn about the mysteries hidden within the walls of Chichen Itza that wait to be uncovered, and can experience the site first hand in all its glory, just as it once stood in Mayan times.

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One of the most influential groups of people on Chichen Itza’s ability to last, in its present condition, is tourists. While tourists add both beneficial and detrimental elements to the city’s conservancy, they by far make up the majority of people who consistently elicit potential for change within the site. Specifically, more than one million visitors tour Chichen Itza each year, around 48,000 explore it daily, and about 5,000 visit the most famous structure, El Castillo, each day (Taylor; Volta et al.). While people can gain entry to the grounds 365 days a year, the fall and spring equinoxes draw in the largest crowd ("Pre-Hispanic City"). This occurs because, as during these astronomical events, the pyramid of El Castillo appears to have the image of a snake cast by the sun upon its side. The Mayans purposely created the pyramid in a way that would create this image during these solar events to signify the connection between the underworld and the world above them. Due to the massive amount of people visiting the site at once however, as well as over time, the risk of wearing down the structures increases greatly. Luckily, in 2005, officials revoked the ability for visitors to climb El Castillo in attempts to help preserve the pyramid (Taylor #). While this certainly works towards improving the longevity of the site, additional measures must be invoked to ensure protection.

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Yet another group of people who place incredible importance on conserving Chichen Itza are archaeologists and historians. Though research on the ancient city and its structures has occurred for decades, many mysteries surrounding the Mayan people who lived there, the building of the structures, the materials used, and the yet to be discovered elements of the place still remain in question. Some archaeologists propose the theory that there are hidden chambers inside the walls of El Castillo and locals suggest that an underground labyrinth sits beneath Chichen Itza–an idea which has been passed down through generations of stories within the Mayan people (Clynes). In an attempt to discover if truth lies behind these theories, the National Geographic Society provided a grant to create a project, monitored by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, to use new technology to research Chichen Itza. The revolutionary tools used for this research prevents damaging any archaeological artifacts or buildings, which, regrettably, occurred here in the past due improper equipment and technique while excavating. The technology for the current project includes GPR, or ground penetrating radar, to map tunnels and caves as well as to see inside the structures while physically remaining outside them. By the end of this project, researchers plan to have the appropriate data to form a “millimeter-scale, 3D ‘super-map’” of all of Chichen Itza both above and below the ground (Clynes). The research done in this project aims to revolutionize the understanding of the buildings that make up Chichen Itza and potentially demystify some of the legends about the site. While this project certainly advances academic learning about the archaeological site and its history, the pressing issue that still remains is the need for long term preservation of the site. At the current moment, there exists no plan as to how Chichen Itza will continue to be maintained or by who, nor are there any methods in place to protect the site for a substantial amount of time going forward (“Pre-Hispanic City”). Thus, the potential for future visitors, research on the site, and the overall fate of Chichen Itza, which includes its influence on all the aforementioned stakeholders, lies in the hands of those with the power to protect this beloved archaeological and historical site.

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Not only has the national government profited from Mexico’s thriving tourism industry, but individuals such as Yucatan Mayans have received benefits as a result of the Yucatan’s ten million visitors per year. Unfortunately, to begin with, Yucatan locals are among the most impoverished and malnourished of Mexican citizens with higher infant mortality, divorce, and life expectancy rates than the country’s averages. Living in remote, undeveloped areas, Yucatan locals struggle to receive adequate education and suffer from the lack of opportunity that exists in such rural areas. Despite this, and in thanks to the high number of tourists Chichen Itza brings in, there have been observations of technological advancement and improved quality of life for these Yucatan locals through development projects. Evidence of this includes the installation of adobe stoves in houses as well as furthered education for children, who previously could only study in their area through the sixth grade (Taylor #). Many groups of Mayan locals have also become involved in helping professionally maintain and restore the archaeological sites and artifacts within the ancient city of Chichen Itza. Thus, the ancient city and the indigineous people of the region share a mutualistic relationship such that they each provide for and benefit from one another.

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The ancient city of Chichen Itza holds incredible value for a wide variety of groups of people, including natives on the Yucatan Peninsula as well as various other peoples across the globe. The site holds the key to our understanding of the Mayans who once inhabited the lands, but also serves as an incredible marker of Mexico’s cultural past and origins. Given this, the use of Chichen Itza for cultural events in today’s world has created controversy over the protection of the site as well as the continuation of its authenticity and integrity (“Pre-Hispanic City”). Due to the incredible significance and continued learning potential this site contains, it is of the utmost importance that Chichen Itza be preserved for generations to come so that all stakeholders can continue reaping the benefits of this incredible archaeological site.

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Chichen Itza has drawn in crowds from around the world for a long time, however, it continues to hold numerous mysteries, about its past and its inhabitants, within what is yet to be uncovered by researchers. While much has been learned about the Mayans and their time in power, people today continue to debate who built and lived in Chichen Itza and how the site came to be. One example of an unsolved mystery about Chichen Itza regards the materials used to build the structures. Archaeologists discovered that mica, a type of sheet mineral, contributed to the formation of many of the structures within the city, however, this material does not exist naturally in the Yucatan. In fact, it doesn’t exist as one moves south down the continents until reaching Brazil, a whole two thousand miles away. Scientists have difficulty drawing a conclusion on how this material could have traveled such a great distance without the aid of vehicles (Yucatan Times). While theories behind the questions at hand exist, such as the idea that the Toltecs brought mica with them when they came to Chichen Itza, however it lacks sufficient concrete evidence to back this up, as do many other propositions behind unknown aspects of the city (Ruz 9). Another one of the most unknown topics in relation to Chichen Itza is the chronology of the site, specifically relating to the Itza and the Toltecs and their relations. “The Toltecs” is essentially an encompassing word used to describe “many urban and civilized peoples of Mesoamerica who practiced arts and crafts at a high level and who worshiped the Feathered Serpent (also known as Kukulcan or Quetzalcotl)” (Volta et. al 46). Due to continued questions regarding the chronology of the site, the understanding today of architectural styles and their influence on the building of Chichen Itza becomes hazy as well (Volta et. al #). Although there is clearly still plenty to learn about the site, archaeologists have discovered a wealth of information about the Mayans and Chichen Itza so far through their research.

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Although the incredible amount of tourists poses a threat to Chichen Itza’s structures, it also generates a significant amount of revenue which helps fund professional restoration and preservation services. At the start of 2019, the Mexican government, who owns all archaeological sites in the country, doubled ticket prices for entry into Chichen Itza from 242 pesos, or about $12 to 480 pesos, or about $24 (Yucatán Expat Life). This enormous boost in ticket prices demonstrated the Mexican Government’s clear stake in Chichen Itza as it represents an important element of the tourism industry within Mexico which generates significant revenue for the government. As a result of Chichen Itza’s role in this, the Mexican has interest in preserving the present state of Chichen Itza so that tourists will continue to flock to the site. Two government affiliated organizations in Mexico that promote and protect archaeological sites, including Chichen Itza, are the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the Secretaria de Turismo de México (National Secretary of Tourism, SECTUR) (Taylor #). Through their work in looking after Chichen Itza, it continues to stand in excellent condition and attract tourists from around the world.