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Chichen Itza - Quiz
Contributed by: Mistry
  • 1. Where is Chichen Itza located?
A) Brazil
B) Peru
C) Mexico
D) Guatemala
  • 2. Which ancient civilization built Chichen Itza?
A) Olmec
B) Aztec
C) Inca
D) Maya
  • 3. What is the name of the famous pyramid in Chichen Itza?
A) Machu Picchu
B) Teotihuacan
C) El Castillo
D) The Temple of the Moon
  • 4. What does the name 'Chichen Itza' mean in English?
A) At the mouth of the well of the Itza
B) Sacred Place
C) City of Gold
D) Lost City
  • 5. What is the name of the sacred cenote at Chichen Itza?
A) Cenote Azul
B) Cenote Ik Kil
C) Cenote Sagrado
D) Cenote Dos Ojos
  • 6. Which astronomical event is associated with Chichen Itza's Kukulcan pyramid?
A) Solstice
B) Equinox
C) Meteor shower
D) Eclipse
  • 7. When was Chichen Itza designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
A) 1996
B) 1975
C) 2003
D) 1988
  • 8. What type of architectural feature is the Platform of the Skulls in Chichen Itza?
A) Tzompantli
B) Aqueduct
C) Marketplace
D) Palace
  • 9. Which architectural styles are evident at Chichen Itza?
A) Only Mayan styles
B) Only Puuc and Chenes styles
C) Only Central Mexican styles
D) Central Mexican styles, Puuc, and Chenes styles
  • 10. Who maintains the stewardship of Chichen Itza?
A) The United Nations
B) Private owners
C) The state of Yucatán
D) Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
  • 11. When did the state of Yucatán purchase the land under the monuments?
A) 29 March 2010
B) 15 August 2015
C) 1 January 2000
D) 31 December 2005
  • 12. How many tourists visited Chichen Itza in 2017?
A) Over 1 million
B) Over 3 million
C) Over 2.6 million
D) Over 500,000
  • 13. What does 'Itzá' mean in the context of the Itzá ethnic-lineage group?
A) Priest
B) Leader
C) Warrior
D) Sorcerer
  • 14. What is one possible earlier name for Chichen Itza?
A) Uuc Yabnal
B) Maya
C) Itzá
D) Tollan
  • 15. Which book records the earlier name of Chichen Itza?
A) Codex Borbonicus
B) Popol Vuh
C) Chilam Balam de Chumayel
D) Codex Mendoza
  • 16. What does the first word of the earlier name for Chichen Itza mean?
A) House
B) Great
C) Place
D) Seven
  • 17. In which state of Mexico is Chichen Itza located?
A) Veracruz
B) Guerrero
C) Yucatán
D) Chiapas
  • 18. What type of geological feature characterizes the northern Yucatán Peninsula?
A) Karst
B) Mountainous
C) Desert
D) Volcanic
  • 19. What natural feature at Chichen Itza provided plentiful water year-round?
A) Lakes
B) Springs
C) Rivers
D) Cenotes
  • 20. To which deity were sacrifices made into the Cenote Sagrado?
A) Ix Chel
B) Itzamna
C) Kukulkan
D) Chaac
  • 21. Who dredged the Cenote Sagrado from 1904 to 1910?
A) Edward Herbert Thompson
B) Frederick Catherwood
C) Tikal
D) John Lloyd Stephens
  • 22. What did the study of human remains from the Cenote Sagrado reveal?
A) Evidence of natural death
B) Marks of ritual scarification
C) Wounds consistent with human sacrifice
D) Signs of disease
  • 23. Which theory about Chichen Itza's political organization has been called into question in recent years?
A) The multepal system theory.
B) The theory of a democratic system.
C) The theory of a theocratic system.
D) The theory of a single dynastic lineage.
  • 24. What was the primary economic activity that contributed to Chichen Itza's power?
A) Textile production.
B) Agriculture and farming.
C) Participating in the water-borne circum-peninsular trade route.
D) Mining and metalwork.
  • 25. What was the earliest hieroglyphic date discovered at Chichen Itza?
A) 900 AD.
B) 600 AD.
C) 832 AD.
D) 750 AD.
  • 26. What was the last known hieroglyphic date recorded at Chichen Itza?
A) 900 AD.
B) 1050 AD.
C) 1200 AD.
D) 998 AD.
  • 27. Who prophesied his own rise to power according to the Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel?
A) Francisco de Montejo
B) Teobert Maler
C) Augustus Le Plongeon
D) Hunac Ceel
  • 28. What name did Francisco Montejo The Younger give to Chichen Itza after he arrived there?
A) Ciudad Real
B) Campeche
C) Xaman Haʼ
D) Montejo
  • 29. In which year did Francisco Montejo The Younger abandon Chichen Itza?
A) 1535
B) 1531
C) 1534
D) 1527
  • 30. Who published the first long-form description of Chichen Itza in 'Biologia Centrali-Americana'?
A) Frederick Catherwood
B) Désiré Charnay
C) Alfred Maudslay
D) John Lloyd Stephens
  • 31. Who excavated a statue at Chichen Itza in 1875 and named it 'Chacmol'?
A) Augustus Le Plongeon
B) Edward Herbert Thompson
C) Teobert Maler
D) Alfred Maudslay
  • 32. Which institution conducted long-term archaeological research at Chichen Itza starting in 1913?
A) Peabody Museum
B) INAH
C) Carnegie Institution
D) National Geographic
  • 33. In which year did the Mexican Supreme Court rule that Edward Thompson had broken no laws regarding the artifacts?
A) 1913
B) 1923
C) 1932
D) 1944
  • 34. Who began excavations adjacent to El Castillo in 2009 to investigate construction that predated it?
A) Edward Herbert Thompson
B) Fernando Barbachano Peon
C) Rafael (Rach) Cobos
D) Sylvanus G. Morley
  • 35. Which Maya city was established as a capital by Francisco de Montejo?
A) Mayapan
B) Chichen Itza
C) Xaman Haʼ
D) Campeche
  • 36. What was the primary reason the Spanish chose the region around Chichen Itza to locate a capital?
A) The abundance of natural resources
B) The presence of gold mines
C) The strategic military location
D) The relatively high population density
  • 37. Who was the first to publish photographs of Chichen Itza?
A) Alfred Maudslay
B) John Lloyd Stephens
C) Frederick Catherwood
D) Désiré Charnay
  • 38. Which architectural style is concentrated in the Old Chichén area and also seen in the Nunnery Group?
A) Río Bec style
B) Chenes-style architecture
C) Toltec style
D) Puuc-style architecture
  • 39. Which complex includes the Temple of Kukulcán (El Castillo) and the Great Ball Court?
A) The Central Group
B) The Great North Platform
C) The Group of the Initial Series
D) The Osario Group
  • 40. Which architectural style features ornate façades and masked doorways?
A) Río Bec style
B) Toltec style
C) Chenes-style architecture
D) Puuc-style architecture
  • 41. How many original pieces from various institutions are displayed in the Great Museum of Chichen Itza?
A) 200 originals
B) 400 originals
C) 600 originals
D) 1,000 originals
  • 42. What was discovered under the north side of the pyramid during the 1930s excavation?
A) A large chamber filled with artifacts
B) A hidden treasure
C) A staircase leading to another temple
D) A series of tunnels
  • 43. When is Old Chichén planned to reopen to visitors?
A) 2022
B) 2023
C) 2024
D) 2025
  • 44. Who popularized the Maya Yucatán in the public's imagination with his book 'Incidents of Travel in Yucatan'?
A) Baron Emanuel von Friedrichsthal
B) John Lloyd Stephens
C) Benjamin Norman
D) Francisco Gomez Rul
  • 45. How many individuals were analyzed in the genome-wide association study at Chichen Itza?
A) 80
B) 72
C) 64
D) 50
  • 46. What is located at the southern end of Akab Dzib?
A) One entrance
B) A staircase
C) Two entrances
D) A cenote
  • 47. How many ballcourts have archaeologists identified in Chichen Itza?
A) Thirteen
B) Fifteen
C) Ten
D) Eight
  • 48. What is the color of the throne found in the temple chamber?
A) Green
B) Yellow
C) Red
D) Blue
  • 49. What was the earlier name of Akab Dzib according to the Casa Colorada glyphs?
A) Wa(k)wak Puh Ak Na
B) Las Monjas
C) Cenote Sagrado
D) El Caracol
  • 50. What does the name Akab Dzib mean in Yucatec Mayan?
A) Dark Writing
B) Bright Writing
C) Sacred Writing
D) Mystical Writing
  • 51. What is the Spanish name for the building known as El Caracol?
A) The Church
B) The Snail
C) The Nunnery
D) The Observatory
  • 52. In what year was Akab Dzib restored by INAH?
A) 2007
B) 2000
C) 2010
D) 1999
  • 53. Who discovered a false wall in the Caves of Balankanche in 1959?
A) José Humberto Gómez
B) Edward Thompson
C) A.S. Pearse
D) E. Wyllys Andrews IV
  • 54. What language does the gastronomic center in the museum promote?
A) The English language.
B) The French language.
C) The Spanish language.
D) The Mayan language.
  • 55. What material was used for the spots on the throne?
A) Gold
B) Bronze
C) Inlaid jade
D) Silver
  • 56. During which time period were the individuals discovered at Chichen Itza dated back to?
A) 1000-1200 CE
B) 1200-1500 CE
C) 300-500 CE
D) 500-900 CE
  • 57. Which façade of Akab Dzib is considered the front of the structure?
A) The eastern façade
B) The southern façade
C) The western façade
D) The northern façade
  • 58. Who was the first person to photograph Chichen Itza?
A) Baron Emanuel von Friedrichsthal
B) John Lloyd Stephens
C) Edward Thompson
D) Benjamin Norman
  • 59. What type of sculptures are displayed in the Great Museum of Chichen Itza?
A) Mayan warrior sculptures
B) Chac Mool sculptures
C) Incan ruler sculptures
D) Aztec deity sculptures
  • 60. What is the angle at which the sides of the pyramid rise?
A) 70°
B) 53°
C) 60°
D) 45°
  • 61. What material was primarily used in the construction of the North Temple of the Great Ball Court?
A) Marble
B) Sandstone
C) Granite
D) Limestone
  • 62. What type of masonry is characteristic of the Puuc-style architecture at Chichen Itza?
A) Adobe bricks
B) Fine veneers
C) Stone slabs
D) Block masonry walls
  • 63. What was the name of the hotel that opened in 1930 near Chichen Itza?
A) Mayaland Hotel
B) Hacienda Chichén Hotel
C) Yucatán Resort
D) Carnegie Hotel
  • 64. What is the angle of the protruding stairways on the pyramid?
A) 75°
B) 45°
C) 60°
D) 30°
  • 65. What was revealed by the 3D modeling and multimodal scanning in 2025?
A) A series of underground tunnels
B) A new staircase leading to the top
C) A hidden chamber filled with artifacts
D) An earlier pyramid substructure called 'Castillo-sub' within the larger 'El Castillo' pyramid
  • 66. Where is the Casa Colorada located in relation to the Osario Group?
A) East
B) South
C) West
D) North
  • 67. In which year did Edward Thompson purchase the Hacienda Chichén, which included Chichen Itza?
A) 1910
B) 1944
C) 1923
D) 1894
  • 68. Who urged Governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto to build roads to the more famous monuments, including Chichen Itza?
A) Benjamin Norman
B) Francisco Gomez Rul
C) Edward Thompson
D) Hans Juergen Thies Barbachano
  • 69. How many thematic axes does the museum offer to explore the history of Chichen Itza?
A) 12 thematic axes
B) 10 thematic axes
C) 20 thematic axes
D) 14 thematic axes
  • 70. What is the primary theory about the function of El Caracol?
A) A palace
B) A proto-observatory
C) A marketplace
D) A temple
  • 71. What is the size of the ceremonial center at Chichen Itza?
A) About 7 square kilometers
B) About 5 square kilometers
C) About 10 square kilometers
D) About 3 square kilometers
  • 72. What is depicted in the center of the rings carved on the walls of the platforms?
A) Intertwined feathered serpents
B) Birds
C) Human figures
D) Jaguars
  • 73. What is the Spanish name for the Las Monjas complex at Chichen Itza?
A) The Observatory
B) The Nuns
C) The Palace
D) The Temple
  • 74. How many square terraces does the Temple of Kukulcán have?
A) Eight
B) Nine
C) Seven
D) Ten
  • 75. What is the base length of the sides of the pyramid?
A) Approximately 60 meters
B) Approximately 55.3 meters
C) Approximately 45 meters
D) Approximately 50 meters
  • 76. Which ruler is frequently mentioned in the hieroglyphic texts at Las Monjas?
A) Kʼinich Janaab Pakal
B) Kʼinich Kan Bʼalam
C) Kʼakʼupakal
D) Pacal the Great
  • 77. What are the two small buildings south of the Osario believed to be?
A) Residences for important personages
B) Marketplaces
C) Ball courts
D) Temples
  • 78. Who was a key member of the archaeological expedition and restoration of the Temple of the Warriors?
A) Zahi Hawass
B) Earl H. Morris
C) Howard Carter
D) Mary Leakey
  • 79. What is a stone table with reliefs of captives called in the Great Museum of Chichen Itza?
A) Incan monument
B) Aztec altar
C) Chac Mool
D) Mayan throne
  • 80. In what year was the gamma-ray spectrometry analysis of the North Temple of the Great Ball Court conducted?
A) 2026
B) 2024
C) 2025
D) 2023
  • 81. What does the Maya name 'Chichanchob' possibly mean?
A) Sacred place
B) Big house
C) Small holes
D) Ancient ruins
  • 82. What motif is found on the columns guarding the entrance to the Upper Temple of the Jaguar?
A) Feathered serpent
B) Eagle
C) Human figure
D) Jaguar
  • 83. Who began Yucatán's first official tourism business in the early 1920s?
A) Francisco Gomez Rul
B) Edward Thompson
C) Fernando Barbachano Peon
D) Felipe Carrillo Puerto
  • 84. What is depicted in the mural inside the Upper Temple of the Jaguar?
A) A battle scene
B) A market scene
C) A religious ceremony
D) A ball game
  • 85. What were decapitated heads likely used for in Maya ceremonies?
A) Used as food
B) Used as weapons
C) Displayed as sacred items
D) Used as tools
  • 86. What did DNA testing reveal about the gender of the children's remains?
A) The remains exclusively came from females
B) The remains were from both males and females
C) The remains exclusively came from males
D) The gender of the remains could not be determined
  • 87. What is the condition of most buildings in the Casa Colorada Group, with one exception?
A) Well-preserved
B) Fully restored
C) Decrepit mounds
D) Under construction
  • 88. What was the relationship between Fernando Barbachano Peon and Francisco Gomez Rul?
A) Cousin
B) Son-in-law
C) Brother
D) Business partner
  • 89. What was the original belief about the purpose of El Mercado?
A) A residential area
B) A ceremonial site
C) A marketplace
D) A ball court
  • 90. What is found above the doorway on the opposite wall inside the southern end of Akab Dzib?
A) A stone spiral staircase
B) A cenote
C) A mural
D) Intricately carved glyphs
  • 91. What is the Las Monjas complex believed to have been used for?
A) A residential building
B) A temple
C) A marketplace
D) A governmental palace
  • 92. Which architectural group includes the pyramid of the same name and the Temple of Xtoloc?
A) The Group of the Lintels
B) The Osario Group
C) The Central Group
D) The Great North Platform
  • 93. Which celestial body is El Caracol theorized to be aligned with?
A) Mars
B) Venus
C) The Sun
D) The Moon
  • 94. In which year were the remains of more than 100 children discovered in Chichen Itza?
A) 1975
B) 1990
C) 1967
D) 1980
  • 95. What was done to the terrain of Chichen Itza to facilitate construction?
A) The broken terrain was artificially levelled
B) The terrain was covered with sand
C) The terrain was excavated to create terraces
D) The terrain was left as is
  • 96. What is the name of the building that is half standing and named after a deer painting?
A) La Casa de los Pintores
B) La Casa del Sol
C) La Casa del Venado
D) La Casa de los Ritos
  • 97. What is the condition of the bas-relief carvings inside the Lower Temple of the Jaguar?
A) Elaborate
B) Simple
C) Nonexistent
D) Damaged beyond recognition
  • 98. Which organization restored a small ball court in 2009?
A) Smithsonian Institution
B) UNESCO
C) National Geographic
D) INAH
  • 99. What unique feature is found inside one of the chambers at Akab Dzib?
A) A cenote
B) A mural
C) A painted hand print
D) A stone spiral staircase
  • 100. In which year did Mexico enact the Ley Federal Sobre Monumentos y Zonas Arqueológicas, Artísticas e Históricas?
A) 1980
B) 1944
C) 1972
D) 2007
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