Chícharo 1, Agua Clara, 20263 Aguascalientes, Ags, Mexico
The Venus Platform is another well-preserved Toltec-style structure on the Great Plaza at Chichen Itza, located in front of the main part of the Kukulkan pyramid and beside the Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars. It is a platform with a square layout, more than 25 meters on each side, featuring four staircases bordered by balustrades.
It received its name because its outer panels depict bas-reliefs of the planet Venus in the form of a “knot” of years, alongside half of a flower with thorns on the petals and the shape of a woven mat (pop of the Maya) as a symbol of power. Venus is depicted with jaguar claws emerging from the mouth of a feathered serpent. The Temple of Venus is also known as the Tomb of Chac Mool because its sculpture was found inside. Originally, the platform was painted ochre, blue, red, green, and black, which decorated the outlines of the image of the “morning star,” one of the manifestations of Kukulkan-Quetzalcoatl, who was most admired by pre-Hispanic cultures. An offering consisting of the skull of a beheaded man was found on the staircase on the eastern side.
The base consists of a slope, a vertical wall with protruding panels, and a cornice board as a finishing touch; the total height of the base is 4 meters. At the corners of the four staircases are familiar statues of serpent heads acting as guardians. Unlike other buildings, the upper base of the Venus platform is round, presumably for conducting dances or ceremonies. Archaeologists believe that the Maya at Chichen Itza precisely calculated the 583.92-day Venus cycle, dating to the early 10th century, at the end of the Classic period. They then used the planet’s rotation to schedule certain rituals.
Sources:
https://mayanpeninsula.com/en/venus-temple-chichen-itza/
