Ik Kil Cenote

A side trip from our tour of Chichen Itza took Marj, my sister Janice, and me to the prominent cenote or sink hole known as Ik Kil to the Mayans. As I mentioned in my account of Chichen Itza, the surrounding area is a geologic formation known as Karst. The land is characterized by its topsoil being supported upon a layer of porous limestone. This has the effect of allowing all rain water to quickly percolate through the topsoil and bedrock leaving the surface devoid of streams or lakes. In some places the bedrock will erode completely and collapse creating a deep sinkhole or cenote. So, even though the topsoil may be fertile and water easily found, farming is extremely labor intensive since water must to brought to the surface by human effort.  For instance Ik Kil is a relatively large cenote being about 200 feet in diameter with water over 120 feet deep, but its surface is 85 feet below ground level.  Keep in mind that the Mayans never developed the wheel and had no pack animals so the water had to be hand carried to the surface for irrigation. An additional drawback of Karst areas is the poor filtration of ground water that readily allows contamination of the water supply by human and animal wastes. These impediments heighten our appreciation for the accomplishments of a people who built and maintained a great civilization in the central Yucatan for centuries.

Today the cenote Ik Kil is a popular stop for tour busses on the way to Chichen Itza allowing a cool respite from the heat and even a quick dip. Some international diving competitions have even held events here.

   

View From the Top	On the Way Down
View From the First Gallery	View From the Bottom