Two weeks ago, the news that had discovered the largest flooded cave in the world in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo Roo from all over the world. The director of that project, Guillermo de Anda, When talking about the Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula, one of those phrases that raise the passion of any traveler: «It is one of the latest human borders and odyssey. We are possibly facing one of the most important archaeological zones on the planet ». A week later the proposal of Caracol ideas arrives at VAP to explain that they are the cenotes, How to dive them and what mythological meaning for the Maya do you have. They accompany the text of fabulous photos made by these travelers who have immersed themselves to dive in the mythical Mayan cenotes.
Text: Snail Ideas
More than 2400 Centoes distributed throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. Those chosen by tourists and divers are the pitt and the two eyes, that are found at some 40 minutes from Playa del Carmen and 15 Minute of Tulum. Researchers have found a connection between the two -eyed and Sac Antun systems, What turns this space into the largest flooded cave. In Latin America we call cenotes to the natural holes that were gradually formed when the sea level that occupied the entire Yucatan peninsula in the last glacial era in the last era. According to geologists, When the water went down the ground was made up of limestone, which, Aided by the impact of the rain, He collapsed until these roca labyrinths. Cenotes are divided into open, semi -open or closed. The Pitt is a huge open cynote in the form of a cylinder with a maximum depth of 40 meters. A 28 meters can be seen a cloud of hydrogen sulfate that is formed by the decomposition of the branches and the trees that, Over the years, They have fallen into the caves.
Haloclin (Changes in water salinity) He finishes giving the diver the idea of ??being entering the underworld.
This cross -linking of caves and vegetation generates a confusion of both elements, Earth and water, which makes it an area highly appreciated by the divers to live surreal sensations underwater. In the Pitt for example, The sulfate cloud recreates a spectral marine scenario and haloclin (Changes in water salinity) He finishes giving the diver the idea of ??being entering the underworld., close to Pitt is the two eyes, today known as "the mother of all cenotes" for her union with the SAC actun. Two eyes has columns of up to 8 meters, And it does not reach more than 15 meters deep which makes it suitable for anyone who can handle float and who encourage you to live the experience of full darkness during immersion.
The water of this cave has a perfect visibility for its transparency and, Having a constant temperature of 24º move through it is pleasant. The tour is made with flashlights so that rock formations can be observed, Stalagmites, Millennial Fossil Caves and Remains, Among other peculiarities. Thus the diving is gradually becoming something similar to the experience of a dream. "The cavernous openings that let the sun pass from time to form a curtain of light wake us up to remind us that there is a surface and we are submerged in sacred waters," warns the instructor specialized in Cenotes, Miguel Abularach of Scuba Caribe Diving.
Etymologically Dzonoot refers to the sacred, What is "beyond"
The word dzonoot belongs to the Yucatecan Mayan language (Guatemala and Yucatan Peninsula). It is a word that is Latinized since the maya -speakers used taps and ideograms to write. Etymologically Dzonoot refers to the sacred, What is "beyond". But this is not an empty place in any of the mythologies. It is not something immaterial, imperceptible e indescriptible, but quite the opposite, What is populated with ghosts, Specific and material guardians and spirits.
For the Mayans under water there was indeed an underwater population, populated with demons and servants of these demons: the twelve Gods of death or Lords of death. It is because of this issue that Cenotes were source of offerings and punishments for decades and today they are still a reason for archaeological research of great interest to decipher the complex preclassic system from fossil vestiges. To the point that only now, after 14 years of research, The specialists of the "Great Mayan aquifer" managed to find the connection between SAC Actun and two eyes, the 263 and 84 km, respectively, thus remaining a flooded cave of 347 km, The most extensive on the planet.
The cenotes were for decades source of offerings and punishments
This place beyond being a natural beauty, It is a populated area of ??mysteries and secrets not yet revealed. To discover them the option is to immerse yourself in it. Both for professional divers, As for amateurs visitors, It is mandatory to be accompanied by a certified guide because it must be entered with the relevant security elements (It is a risk to be trapped by the walls that obtain access to the surface). But, It is suitable for "dive" of all levels, as long as they adjust the depth to their training category.
