A natural sinkhole or underground pool of water found in limestone regions, especially in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
From Spanish cenote, derived from Yucatec Maya tsonot meaning 'well' or 'cavity.' Spanish conquistadors adopted this Mayan term when they encountered these geological formations in the Americas.
Ancient Mayans viewed cenotes as sacred gateways to the underworld and made them ritual sites—archaeologists have found offerings and even human remains in them, revealing how these water sources were spiritually central to Mayan civilization.
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