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A thoughtless tourist who ignored the strict rule against climbing the steps of an ancient Mayan pyramid was clubbed over the head as stepped down from the 82ft structure.
The Temple of Kukulcán, part of the protected Mexican archaeological site of Chichen Itza, was once used for bloody human sacrifices as part of the Maya culture’s religion.
Victims would be decapitated at the summit of the Mayans’ characteristic set pyramids, often after being savagely beaten, scalped, burnt or disembowelled.
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Luckily for the Polish tourist who ventured to the top of the important archaeological relic on Saturday (January 28), he suffered nothing worse than a bash on the head.
Footage taken by onlookers showed him being escorted down the steps of the pyramid by two stern-faced security guards before being surrounded and abused by angry locals.
Then a man wearing only shorts and sandals, can be seen walking up behind the interloper and delivering a painful-looking blow to the head.
The Polish holidaymaker was clearly stunned, and raised his hands to protect himself, but carried on walking between the security guards.
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He was reportedly held by local police for about 12 hours, before being fined 5,000 pesos (£212).
It’s unclear whether the attacker was a local or a tourist from elsewhere in the country.
The pyramid, constructed some time between the 8th and 12th centuries AD, has 365 steps—one for each day of the year. Each of the temple's four sides has 91 steps, with the top platform making the 365th.
Twice a year on the spring and autumn equinoxes, a shadow falls on the pyramid in the shape of a snake – marking the temple’s purpose as a tribute to the Mayans’ serpent god. As the sun sets, the shadow snake gradually descends the steps to join a stone serpent head at the pyramid’s base.
Amazingly, researchers have discovered that the pyramid’s architecture is designed to make the sound of a quetzal bird if someone claps while standing at its base.
It’s a major destination for tourists and the misguided Polish bloke is not the first to be tempted to scale its steps to the forbidden platform at the top.
In November a 29-year-old Mexican woman, Abigail Villalobos, sparked fury when she climbed the pyramid and danced at the summit, filming the stunt for TikTok.
Villalobos was shouted at and had water thrown over her by angry locals, and one elderly woman grabbed her and pulled her hair.
She was also arrested and fined for trespassing on the historic platform.
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