Dzonot, entrada al inframundo

A Cenote –from the Maya word "dzonot", is the result of the collapse of a superficial layer of land creating a natural entrance to a huge under-ground cave and water system that lays beneath the surface in this part of the peninsula. In Maya mythology, cenotes are the entry point to the underworld "Xibalba", an important aspect of Maya cosmovision. As a result, in Maya culture, Cenotes are earthly locations for significant ceremonies that pay cult to the gods inhabiting these regions.

Millions of years ago, the Yucatan Peninsula lay beneath ocean waters. After the last glaciation, the water level descended and the local sea life perished leaving behind endless fossil formations that can be easily seen in the limestone typical of the area.

At the end the last ice-age, the water level increased once again flooding the cave system that was formed. This enormous and intricate system of caves and underground rivers was created by the continuous filtration of rain water into the subsoil, slowly flowing out to sea, in combination with the corrosive action of carbonic acid (formed by water when it takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) that gradually dissolves the underground layers of limestone.

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