The cenotes are an essential part of the Mayan culture. In the Yucatan Peninsula, they were the main supply of fresh water, as well as being an essential part of their rituals and beliefs.
La Yucatan Peninsula It has a characteristic soil, with the peculiarity of being a porous ground through which rainwater filters, nothing is retained on the surface. This causes the fresh water to travel like underground rivers the intestines of the Peninsula. Each detachment of soil that makes these water wells visible is called ts'ono'ot o dzonot (cave with water in Spanish). They are acquaintances cenotes, Spanish word that derives from the Yucatec Maya pronunciation.
These natural wells were used by the ancient Maya as major sources of water supply. The cenotes are not found throughout the Peninsula, but several Mayan city-states were built near them if this possibility fit, as in the magisterial Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, T'ho, Tulum, Yaxuna, Mayapán ...
In addition to the vital importance of supplying the freshwater population, within the Mayan cosmology, the cenotes were also special places. The beliefs of the Maya, as they are gathered in his book the Popol Vuh (narration of his original myth), is that there are three great cosmic levels: celestial, earthly and subterranean. These levels refer to both the outer universe and the human universe, they represent both. The three levels are linked together, form a whole.
The cenotes they were entrances to this subterranean world, to the human and cosmological underworld. This underground world is called metnal in Yucatec, olontic in tzotzil or xibalbá in Quiché, this being the most used word when referring to this concept. East underworld it is a place of both death and life. The Mayans did, and continue to do, initiatory rites in the cenotes.
In many entrances to cenotes, in caves and caves of Mayan territory, evidence of rituals and ceremonies. In the watery depths of the cenotes, evidences of the cults have also been found. In these rites man is prepared to die something internal, bad energies, to be born again. They are rites that allow you to advance in your level of consciousness, of overcoming, confronting you with your own level of consciousness and overcoming it. The sacrifices of animals and humans were part of some of their rituals.
So, every time you visit a cenote, remember to ask permission to the aluxes (mischievous and magical inhabitants of these Mayan lands), who protect these sacred places from the Mayan culture.
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How I like to read from other civilizations and everything that has to do with water and rituals, but wow! I imagine that people do not think about human sacrifices when going down to bathe in the cenotes ...
A hug Sandra, I like to read you!
Thank you very much Pilar, a pleasure that you walk through here. I do not think about the sacrifices, the cenotes are so beautiful that you do not even think, but just in case I ask permission to the aluxes to enter them .... A traveling hug!
I think there are also companies that offer to dive for them, it must be a pass. a greeting
Uf Carlos, it's one of the diving mecha thanks, in part, to the cenotes. The sensation of diving cenotes is indescribable, something unique! Thanks for diving here Carlos, greetings!
I am fascinated with these mystic cenotes full of rituals and magic. Beautiful entrance!
Greetings, thank you Sandra!
I was in a cenote and really what I felt was wonderful, pleasure and need to immerse myself completely ... I left there full of energy and renewed, a wonderful experience !!!
Thank you very much for sharing your Margarita experience, so wonderful are the cenotes, right? 🙂
Best regards,