Wednesday, March 21: Vernal Equinox at Chichen Itza

We met Carlos the guide at 8 am this morning as arranged, for a special entrance into the Caracol (also known as the Observatory) and the second storey of the Monjas complex. Any later and it would have been impossible, since this is the day with the highest attendance all year. This time we walked ourselves while Carlos scooted down on his motorcycle.

Students were very impressed by the 10 meter vaults in the Caracol and had lots of questions about the astronomical relationships. I also stressed relationships with the Castillo, with which I believe it was meant to be paired. Then we went up the Monjas stairs and looked at the mosaic façade, the carved lintels, and I set the students out to find the mural painting. I couldn’t show it to all the students as visitors were arriving and Carlos was calling them down.

I took the students back to the Castillo and finished the lecture on ritual and astronomical relationships with the Caracol and the Sacred Cenote. So naturally the next place we headed was the Cenote itself.

This was considered a free day, so many students melted away after the Cenote. But I took others on a tour of the 1000 columns complex to emphasize the residential facilities. We looked at the West Colonnade, the North Colonnade, the House of the Sculpted Columns, the great Sweat Bath, the Southeast Colonnade, and the Mercado. The latter, of course, impressed them most. Then we went to the three late platforms on the North Terrace and discussed their carvings and Landa’s statement that they were used for plays.

It was only noon by this time and still 4 hours before the “proceedings” around the equinox were due to start. We wandered, sat and chatted, and wandered some more. Erin looked for her dad, who had come to Mexico and told her he would be among the other jugglers, but to no avail (he showed up later). By 3 pm it was getting cloudy. The proceedings started without sun at 4, with two short statements translated into several languages. The crowd was not very large. The peak in the late 80s had been 40,000 equinox visitors, 10,000 were expected, but only about 5000 came. As 5 pm neared, the expected climax of the light serpent on the balustrade, people began chanting and clapping to bring out the sun. Indeed, right around 5 the sun came out, the serpent of light was brilliant and cheered. And by the way, it is not as good the day before. The effect is precise specifically on the equinox. As the effected died off, students formed a circle and began a game of hacky-sack. What could be more perfect?

Earlier in the day, Eduardo had asked what else we would like, and we said, to climb the Castillo. He suggested 7am the next morning and that we should call him on his cellphone. As we left, we greeted him on the podium and firmed up the arrangements before heading back to Piste.