Chichén Itzá
/tʃiːˈtʃɛn ɪtˈsɑː/noun
An ancient Maya city and archaeological site in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
Did you know?The name connects the site to the Itzá, a Maya group whose name is traditionally associated with “water sorcerers” or “those who enchant water,” though the exact interpretation remains debated.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Mayan period
Proto-Mayan
*chʼeʼen
“Reconstructed ancestor of a Yucatec Maya word for a well, cave, or natural underground water source.”
Pre-Columbian period
Yucatec Maya
chiʼ
“Mouth, opening, or edge.”
Pre-Columbian period
Yucatec Maya
chʼeʼen
“Well, cave, or water-filled underground opening.”
Pre-Columbian period
Yucatec Maya
Chichʼeʼen
“At the mouth or opening of the well; the name of the settlement associated with its sacred cenotes.”
Pre-Columbian period
Maya
Itzá
“The name of the Maya people associated with the site; traditional interpretations connect it with water and sorcery, although its precise internal derivation is uncertain.”
16th Century
Spanish
Chichén Itzá
“The Spanish-rendered form of the Maya place-name, preserved in colonial records and later archaeological writing.”
Modern English
English
Chichén Itzá
“The internationally recognized name of the archaeological site and former Maya city.”