What is the truth about the cenotes?

Cenotes are naturally formed wells, which occur when porous limestone bedrock collapsed beneath the earth's surface hundreds of years ago. The word cenote means sacred well – a place for worshipping natural wonders and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Mayan landscape.



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Ancient Maya believed that the rain god Chaak resided in caves and natural wells called cenotes. Maya farmers today in Mexico's parched Yucatán still appeal to Chaak for the gift of rain. Meanwhile cenotes are giving archaeologists new insights into the sacred landscapes of the ancestral Maya.

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Importance of the cenotes in Maya culture The cenotes for the Maya culture have been a symbol of duality since they represented life and death. They were a water source for the Maya cities and represented the gateway to the world of the dead: the Xibalbá.

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Outbreak of histoplasmosis detected in tourists visiting cenotes in Yucatan. Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by inhaling the spores of a fungus usually found in bird and bat droppings.

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The Yucatán Peninsula has almost no rivers and only a few lakes, and those are often marshy. The widely distributed cenotes are the only perennial source of potable water and have long been the principal source of water in much of the region.

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Unlike the ocean where there can be big waves or a strong undertow, cenotes are closed off – within caves – that protect the calm, azure waters from the elements. This typically makes them an ideal spot for a restful swimming experience.

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Quintana Roo cenotes are a tourist attraction of sorts because they stay so clean due to the natural filtration process and thanks to the plants inside. In fact, the abundance of plant life in the Mayan jungle helps clean out all impurities before they even reach the surface.

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The water is fresh and so clean that even your hair and skin feel different after taking a dip. It has been said that the waters possess healing properties. Perhaps it is the tranquility and nature that heal as well!

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Why are there Cenotes in Mexico? There are many cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico because of the geology of the region. The rocks are limestone and have eroded over a very long time.

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It wasn't until 1914, when the violence of the Mexican Revolution unintentionally put an end to the looting of Chichén Itzá. To this day, over 200 bodies, jewels, ceramics and gold pieces have been found as part of the archaeological findings in the cenote.

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Jade was the most precious material to the ancient Maya, and hundreds of jade objects were thrown into the Sacred Cenote. Plaques and pectorals were ritually burned and fractured; some of these were possibly heated up to shatter when they hit the cold water.

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