Political Structure, Military Training, and Ideology at Chichen Itza

A paramount king, identified with the sun, ruled tenth-century Chichen Itza alongside a high priest and a political-military elite symbolized by an S-shaped serpent. The Temple of the Wall Panels reveals the initiation and afterlife journey of jaguar-warriors, paralleling Aztec warrior beliefs described by Sahagún. These warriors, depicted transforming into birds or butterflies, suggest shared Teotihuacan ideologies. The temple's architecture and iconography imply it served as a warrior residence, distinct from atelpochcalli, highlighting the community's collective military and religious roles.

Baudez, C.-F., & Latsanopoulos, N. (2010). POLITICAL STRUCTURE, MILITARY TRAINING, AND IDEOLOGY AT CHICHEN ITZA. Ancient Mesoamerica, 21(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0956536110000179