One of the most famous Maya sites is Chichen Itza, on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. It’s well known for (among other things) the Sacred Cenote, a large, deep, round well that was used by the ancients for human sacrifices.

(I remember a TV show I saw years ago that claimed this hole was obviously caused by a rocket ship taking off here — evidence of space aliens! To me, it looked more like a sinkhole. But that’s a different story… back to the human sacrifices!)

In the early 1900s, scientists dredged the well, and discovered a 14 ft layer of blue precipitate at the bottom. This is a remarkably stable blue pigment, known as Maya Blue, used in offerings, pottery, etc. Buy why so much of it at the bottom of the well? That’s a whole lot of blue paint!

According to 16th Century textual accounts, blue was the color of sacrifice for the ancient Maya. They painted human beings blue before thrusting them backwards on an altar and cutting their beating heart from their bodies. Human sacrifices were also painted blue before they were thrown into the Sacred Cenote.

Anthropologists from Wheaton College have now discovered that the creation of Maya Blue was part of the rituals that took place here, to please the rain god Chaak.

Indigo, copal incense, and palygorskite were all used by the Maya for healing. As part of the ritual beside the cenote, they were combined with fire, creating Maya Blue, the color symbolizing water. Then the sacrifices were painted blue and thrown into the well, feeding these healing elements to Chaak, so that he would send the rains.

EurekAlert: Centuries-old Maya Blue mystery finally solved

We’ll be visiting some Mayan ruins on our woman’s tour to Belize (coming soon!), but we’re not expecting any human sacrifices. You may see a skull watching you in a cave, however…