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El Caracol means winding staircase or snail. This building is dated between 600 AD to 850 AD.
It was remodeled also from 800 AD to 1200 AD. The tower is 48 feet high with many windows which allowed for observing the equinoxes and summer solstice.
This tower sits high on a four-cornered but not quite square platform and gives excellent unobstructed views of the skies and surrounding landscape. In particular, it seems to be carefully aligned with the motions of Venus.
Venus had tremendous significance for the Maya community; this bright planet was considered a war god and the sun’s twin. Mayan leaders used the changing position of Venus to plan appropriate times for battles and raids.
El caracol was used as an observatory.
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El Caracol -
Chichen Itza |
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