I’ve been culturized. Not in a milk or cheese way, nor in a foreign country way, but in a resort on a beach way — or rather in a down and dirty Mayan civilization way, authentic street tacos and all.

Throughout my years in real estate, I have shown many a home built before the turn of the century. Homes built in the 1890s in Ogden and downtown Salt Lake, along with pockets of other small towns along the Wasatch Front and throughout Utah, abound. In fact, my first home I purchased was an old two-bedroom, one-bath Bungalow with a shelf basement which only I could stand upright in (at 5-foot-1 on a good day), a stone’s throw from Liberty Park in downtown Salt Lake. It was built in 1917.

These old homes, albeit classic, historical and no doubt silent witnesses to the past, are but mere babes in comparison to the walls, temples and pyramids of the ancient Mayan civilization Chechen Itza. Built sometime between 600-800 AD, long before the Pilgrim’s landed the Mayflower onto our current soil and began building stick homes with thatch roofs in 1620.

The most recognizable structure is a spectacular step pyramid known as El Castillo. This temple has four sides composed of 91 steps each for a total of 364 and the top platform making the 365th step. Ring a bell? Devising a 365-day calendar was just one of their advanced feats. Twice a year, on the spring and fall equinoxes, a shadow falls on the pyramid in the exact and perfect shape of a snake. As the sun sets, the snake descends to the steps and joins the serpent carved into the base of the staircase.

While I have surmised some pretty incredulous stories from the old walls of homes I have entered, the daily events of this particular ancient city hold secrets that, perhaps, should never have been told. However, scientists, historians and archaeologists have uncovered truths from these sites, with the aid of ancient hieroglyphics, art and writings that compel me to hold in gratitude the innocent walls of our own structures at home.

As common for the time, the Mayan people worshipped many different gods. Since water was, and always has been, such a precious commodity, the Maya rain god was of paramount importance. Besides rain, the only permanent water source was sinkholes, referred to today as cenotes. These are beautiful wide wells containing hundreds of feet of water. Spanish records report that the Mayan people made live sacrifices of young female victims to the Maya rain god thought to have lived in the depths of this water. Bones, jewelry and other objects have been recovered by archaeologists.

Not to have been deprived of their sports, these ancient people built an immense ball court. It consists of colossal walls, measuring 545 feet in length and 223 feet wide, adorned with carvings and hieroglyphics whispering another story of death and sacrifice. The sport held both deep cultural and religious significance. Two teams pass a 12-pound rubber ball through stone hoops set high on the wall using their hips. The stakes were high. Losers lost not only the game but also their lives.

I’ll return to my little corner of the world. A comparatively new settlement composed of structures where the walls may hold secrets, but the consequence of a lost basketball game is nothing more than a four-letter word.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.

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