In 889 CE, during a significant calendrical celebration, Lord K’ak’ Upakal observed the thriving Maya city of Chichen Itza, unaware of the forthcoming crises. Previously, warfare and agricultural failure had displaced the Maya, leading to the growth of cities like Chichen Itza in the Yucatan. Its freshwater supply, revealed through sinkholes in the collapsed bedrock, helped Chichen Itza survive a drought in the early 900s, becoming the most powerful Maya city.
Following K’ak’ Upakal’s death, Chichen Itza’s governance shifted from a single king to include ruling councils of the city’s elite, focusing on economic growth and long-distance trade. They traded various goods, using cacao beans as currency, and seafood from the coast supplemented the city’s staple crops.
Chichen Itza’s survival relied heavily on farming, reflected in the city’s architecture and religious practices. K’uk’ulkan, the feathered serpent god, became central to the city’s religious practices, transforming it into a pilgrimage center. Around 1020 CE, an intense drought hit, lasting nearly a century. Despite Chichen Itza’s natural advantages and its people's efforts, the city couldn’t sustain through the drought.
The population decreased drastically during the 11th century, and many resettled on the coast. After the drought, the new city of Mayapan replaced Chichen Itza as Yucatan’s principal city. However, Chichen Itza was never completely abandoned; it remained a small local capital of a Maya province when the Spanish arrived centuries later, with its original name and ancient stone constructions preserved.
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