Chichen Itza

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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.

Q1) What is a peninsula?

A peninsula is a landform that is surrounded by water on three sides but connected to a larger landmass on one side. Peninsulas can vary in size, ranging from small pieces of land jutting out into a body of water to large landmasses that extend for hundreds of miles.

Source: At Mexico’s Chichen Itza, archaeologists discover Mayan scoreboard