Chichen-Itza means "the mouth of the wells of Itza."  The sacred cenote (natural well or sinkhole) gave Chichen-Itza  importance as a  pilgrimage site.  The Mayans offered human sacrifices and valuable possessions to the rain god Chaac that  lived in the cenote.  It was their custom to cast live people into the cenote to appease the rain god Chaac during times of drought.

Chichen-Itza is divided into two sections.  The older, southern section was built between 600 - 900 A.D.  The structures were built in the classic Mayan Puuc style.