The splendid city of Chichen Itza situated in the Yucatan state of Mexico, was built by the Mayan Indians. It was approximately six square miles in dimension. It was once a spiritual center constructed in the classic Mayan fashion during the 7th and 10th centuries AD. The other half of the splendid city included Mayan-Toltec patterns and it was constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries AD.
The region was commonly agricultural. The Mayas counted on three large sinkholes, also known as Cenotes, which supplied them with abundant water required for both irrigation and domestic purposes. The presence of these sinkholes made Chichen Itza an ideal place for settlement. It emerged as a city of sciences, ceremonies and arts, but in spite of its grandeur, it also possessed a murkier side. The most significant sinkhole was known as the Cenote of Sacrifice where human sacrifices were made.
When the Toltec and the Itza tribe got united with each other, the city of Chichen Itza completely changed. The influence of the Toltec is confirmed by a variation in the structural design, portraying their gods as well as their ways of life. The spiritual practice of the Toltec tribes included human sacrifice, which was practiced repeatedly. Archaeologists have unearthed several skulls and bones that confirm proof of sacrifice.
Several of the major structures at Chichen Itza are of the ball courts and temples. The temple of Kukulcan also known as Quetzalcoatl was situated in the center of the town. This particular temple was made in the form of a pyramid that had steps on each elevated side heading to the top platform where a shrine was built. The northern part of the structure consisted of statues of Quetzalcoatl, who was the famous feather headed snake deity. The temple of Kukulcan was in reality constructed above another previous edifice. This fact was revealed by archaeologists when they discovered a passageway as the way to the stairway of the main pyramid.