Chichen Itza
Chichén Itzá
Mexico · Yucatán
In brief
It is one of Yucatán's important Maya cities. Its temples, ball courts and inscriptions investigated through excavations show the coexistence of Maya traditions and Central Mexican influences.
What was found?
- 1Disk of the Players
This circular stone marker bears a hieroglyphic text surrounding two figures dressed as ballplayers. The complete preservation of the text is particularly valuable for Chichén Itzá, where inscriptions of this kind are rare.
- 2Temple of Kukulkán
This monumental temple is also known as El Castillo. Its structure and sculptural decoration are among the principal examples of the city's architectural mastery.
- 3Temple of the Warriors
It is part of the large monumental complex in the north of the city. UNESCO considers the building an important example of architecture combining Maya construction techniques with elements originating in Central Mexico.
- 4El Caracol
This circular building takes its name from the spiral staircase inside it. UNESCO describes it as an observatory associated with celestial observations.
- 5Great Ball Court
This ball court is among the city's principal monumental structures. The scale of the space devoted to the game demonstrates the importance of this activity in urban life.
What does it point to?
The buildings show that Maya traditions and connections with Central Mexico came together in the same city. According to researchers, the Disk of the Players also indicates that the ballgame provided a context in which important events were recorded in writing.
What did it teach us?
- It documented the combination of Maya construction techniques with architectural and artistic elements originating in Central Mexico.
- The Disk of the Players showed that an event associated with the ballgame was commemorated in hieroglyphs.
- El Caracol documents specialized architectural arrangements associated with celestial observations.
Images




Latest news / selected archive
In 2023, a circular stone marker with preserved hieroglyphs surrounding two ballplayers was found in the Casa Colorada group.
Record
- Culture
- Maya; Central Mexican and Toltec influences
- First modern dig
- 1841
- Team / historical
- INAH; Francisco Pérez Ruiz and José Osorio León
- Coordinates
- 20.6827°, -88.5687°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Ancient City of Uxmal 130 km
- Calakmul 315 km
- Tikal 400 km
- Palenque 510 km
- Copan 653 km
- Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site 767 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
From beneath the soil: latest discoveries
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Heritage Daily ↗ · Excavation notebook - Celtic woman's grave containing jewelry and animal remains found in Germany
A woman's skeleton, heavy bronze anklets, a sapropelite arm ring, and the remains of a lamb or kid were found in the grave in Bavaria. According to the researchers, placing the animal in the grave as a food offering represents an unusual example of Celtic funerary practices in the region.
Arkeofili ↗ - Cupboard containing personal belongings, childhood amulets and coins found in Pompeii
Grooming items, 38 bronze coins and a necklace made up of at least 24 amulets were found in a cupboard in a house in Pompeii that had remained closed since the eruption in AD 79. The preservation of these objects together provides detailed information about everyday life and personal mementos in Roman times.
Arkeofili ↗ · Excavation notebook - Lead seal of a bishop named Stefan found in Croatia
Excavations on the islet of Lukovac uncovered a document seal bearing the name Stefan and the title of bishop in Latin. According to the researchers, the seal, tentatively dated to the 6th–7th centuries, offers rare evidence of early church administration in a region with limited written sources.
Heritage Daily ↗ - Roman-period sarcophagus of a child buried with toys found in Romania
A wheeled toy horse, a rooster-shaped rattle, jewelry and organic remains were recovered from a sealed child’s sarcophagus dating back approximately 1,800 years in the ancient city of Tomis. The preservation of wooden coffin fragments and the shroud also offers a rare opportunity to study child burials in Roman times.
HeritageDaily ↗ - Roman-period grave found in the seating area of the ancient theater in Gölyazı
A tile-covered grave dating to the 1st century AD and containing cremated human remains was uncovered in the theater of Apollonia ad Rhyndacum. Why the burial took place in the theater despite the city having a separate cemetery remains unknown; the find raises new questions about the use of public spaces.
Arkeofili ↗ - Marble portrait of Antinoos and 13 inscriptions found at Teos
A marble portrait of Antinoos and 13 inscriptions on reused stone blocks were found around the Temple of Roma and Augustus at Teos. The inscriptions shed light on the city’s political and legal relations, while researchers say the portrait and inscription fragments show that the temple was also connected to the cult of Antinoos.
Arkeofili ↗ · Excavation notebook - New prehistoric settlement identified on the shore of the Dardanelles
A newly published study presented Yaylatepe Höyük, identified during surface surveys in 2024, and its pottery spanning the end of the Late Chalcolithic to the beginning of the Late Bronze Age for the first time. According to the researcher, the settlement, which has a visual connection with Asartepe on the opposite shore, contributes to understanding prehistoric coastal connections along the strait.
Arkeoloji Dergisi ↗
All excavation sites (385)
Türkiye
- Acemhöyük
- Aizanoi
- Alabanda
- Alacahöyük
- Amos
- Ani
- Aphrodisias
- Arslantepe Mound
- Aspendos
- Assos
- Ayanis Fortress
- Aşıklı Höyük
- Barcın Höyük
- Blaundus
- Boncuklu Höyük
- Can Hasan I
- Carchemish
- Claros Sanctuary
- Clazomenae
- Domuztepe
- Ephesus
- Euromus
- Gordion
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia
- Hattusha
- Hierapolis
- Iasos
- Kaman-Kalehöyük
- Karahantepe
- Karatepe-Aslantaş
- Kaunos
- Kibyra
- Knidos
- Kültepe-Kanesh
- Laodicea on the Lycus
- Letoon Sanctuary
- Limyra
- Magnesia on the Maeander
- Medieval City of Beçin
- Metropolis in Ionia
- Miletus
- Myra
- Nemrut Dağ
- Nysa on the Maeander
- Olympus in Lycia
- Oymaağaç Höyük — Nerik
- Patara
- Pergamon
- Perge
- Phaselis
- Priene
- Sagalassos
- Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma
- Sanctuary of Labraunda
- Sapinuwa
- Sardis
- Sayburç
- Side
- Stratonikeia
- Tell Atchana – Alalakh
- Teos
- Tripolis on the Meander
- Troy
- Uluburun Shipwreck
- Xanthos
- Yenikapı – Theodosian Harbour Excavations
- Yeşilova Höyük
- Yumuktepe
- Zerzevan Castle
- Zeugma
- Zincirli Höyük — Sam'al
- Çatalhöyük
- Çavuştepe Fortress
- Çayönü
- Çukuriçi Höyük