New Insights About El Osario at Chichén Itzá Prove It’s More Than Just a Smaller Temple of Kukulkán

Because Chichén Itzá is so full of amazing structures, and the fact that most tourists to the site only explore its central core, temples like El Osario (The Ossuary) often don’t get much attention. 

The most obvious observation often made about El Osario is that it bears a resemblance to the Temple of Kukulkán, though on a smaller scale. While it is true that these two structures share several common elements like their Toltec/Teotihuacano-inspired tablero-talud design, as well as prominent representations of Kukulkán, these two temples possess important differences and served very different purposes, even though they were both purposefully built above cave systems — a fact recently corroborated with the assistance of technologies including LIDaR. 

Because El Osario was built over a cave, connected by a deep shaft, archaeologists suggest it was considered an entrance to the underworld, a common theme in Mesoamerican architecture. The symbolic importance of this structure is evidenced not only by its elaborate iconography but also by the fact that ritual incense burners were still placed there centuries after the city’s abandonment. 

A Tomb for High Priests

One of the most remarkable features of El Osario is that it served as a tomb for high priests. Research into the structure has revealed that the remains of seven of these high priests were deposited over several generations.

Decorative elements found on El Osario include various types of snakes, mythological birds, bird-serpent figures, men wearing masks of gods, and masks, among other motifs. It also bears inscriptions, one of which records the date 894 C.E.

The balusters feature two intertwined serpents: one feathered and one composed of clouds. Eight intertwined serpents are visible along the upper edge of the base: four covered with turquoise discs and four with earrings. The three upper sections of the base (out of a total of seven) are covered with panels depicting birds, each with the head of a deity identified only as “god K.” In total, there are 48 panels in which numerous fruits, cocoa seeds and various jewels can also be observed.

Links to Teotihuacan

Though El Osario was likely built well after the fall of the city of Teotihuacan, the influence of this great city on this specific structure, and Chichén Itzá as a whole, cannot be overstated — even though this influence is often filtered through the construction practices of other peoples like the Toltec. 

Aside from the obvious tablero-talud construction techniques, the feature that ties El Osario with Teotihuacan the most is the construction of a shaft (sometimes referred to as a cosmic cavity), which would be left open during certain times of the year to emulate a well-documented phenomenon found in structures at Teotihuacan, as well as at countless caves which surround it. 

Like at Teotihuacan, the position of El Osario is built in a way that on specific dates (likely aligned with the zenith sun or equinoxes), a beam of sunlight could travel down the open shaft, dramatically illuminating the dark, sacred cave below. This would create a powerful visual of the sun god piercing the underworld, which would then bounce in all directions off carefully positioned minerals like Hematite to illuminate entire chambers and achieve a communion of sorts with the ancestors whose bones were interred there.

Puuc Influence

Though the Puuc architectural style is most associated with the south of Yucatán, it can be seen on full display at a great number of sights in the north, including, of course, Chichén Itzá. In the case of El Osario, a great wall of Puuc-style rain god masks can be seen facing this great structure. However, during antiquity, these decorative and architectural elements were actually situated at the top of the temple, giving shape to a highly decorated chamber.

This mix of architectural styles from across the Maya world, which also includes features of Rio Bec architecture and even the Chenes style, is one of the aspects which make Chichén Itzá such an interesting site to visit. 

Visit Chichén Itzá With Us

As impressive as Chichén Itzá is, there is no getting around the fact that the hordes of buses with sometimes tens of thousands of tourists that arrive every day certainly detract from its magic. 

That is why when organising trips to Chichén Itzá we make sure to be there as soon as the site opens, to ensure the best experience, whether it be to the main site, or the magnificent Serie Inicial, also known as Chichén Viejo.

If you would like to explore Chichén Itzá beyond the highlights, contact: carlos.rosado@gmail.com.