This short stone platform is named the "Platform of the Skulls". It is eerily decorated with rows upon rows of skull carvings. In the mayan times, it is said this was the place where the heads of the sacrificed victims were displayed.
Skull carving from the Platform of the Skulls.
Skull carving from the Platform of the Skulls
This is the largest Mayan ball court that remains standing across all the ruins excavated to date. Players (in teams) must get a small soccer ball to pass through this hoop, supposedly without using their hands or feet. The captain of the losing team would often be sacrificed to the gods.
The temple of the thousand columns -- as seen from the top of El Castillo pyramid. Note how green and lush it is in the background.
The thousand columns from ground level. No, I didn't count them.
One of the other platforms carried gruesome carvings of jaguars and eagles aggressively eating human hearts.
Other frightening carved creatures include serpents.
This carving is an exquisite portrait of a Mayan warrior. Note his massive headdress and armour.
More jaguars eating hearts and an interesting design of a mayan priest. I'm still wondering if the animal on the far left is a bear or a wolf ??
See!... They played tic-tac-toe way back in the Mayan days too!!
Anyway... it was an interesting motif to see, often found near the rain god carvings.
Carved serpent heads with long curled tongues were most often found at the base of pyramidic temples.
A beautiful facade near the observatory and decorated with carvings of the big-nosed rain god Chac on the fringes.
Iguanas were often seen on the ruin site basking in the sun gathering warmth for energy.
Another iguana that was mostly oblivious to our presence.
