At El Castillo in Chichén Itzá, Mexico, the late afternoon sun around the spring and autumn equinoxes casts a row of triangles down the staircase. They join a carved serpent head at the bottom, like a snake descending.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
Go deeper
A calendar in stone
The four staircases have 91 steps each. With the top platform, that makes 365, one for each day.
Deliberate?
Many think the effect was designed. Some scholars say it may be a happy accident of the angles.
Learn
- Kukulkan. The serpent is Kukulkan, a feathered serpent god linked with wind and renewal.
Test yourself
How many steps does El Castillo have in total, with the top?
365. 4 × 91 plus the platform makes 365.
Sources
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