Why in news?
- The circular piece, measuring just over 32 centimetres in diameter and weighing 40 kilograms displays hieroglyphic writing surrounding two players standing next to a ball that was discovered on this site.
About Chichen Itza:
- It was one of the greatest Mayan centres of the Yucatán peninsula.
- This city was established during the Classic period close to two natural cavities (cenotes or chenes), which gave the town its name.
- Mayan people ruled for over 1,000 years and left their mark on the city.
- It is thought to have been a religious, military, political, and commercial centre that at its peak would have been home to 35,000 people.
- It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
Key facts about the Yucatan peninsula
- It is a Northeastern projection of Central America which is lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
- The peninsula is almost wholly composed of beds of coralline and porous limestone rocks.
