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