Astronomy and power: the case of the island of Cozumel

The Island of Cozumel plays a quite singular and distinguished role in the historical horizon of the Maya post-classic and the history of late Maya settlements patterns, trade and social dynamics. It was indeed – as attested by the Spanish chronicles – one of the most renewed pilgrimage centres of the Maya world and by far the most important centre of cult of the Goddess Ixchel. Many aspects of the peculiar role of Cozumel, however, still remain to be understood; in particular, the ideology, the patterns and the real extension of the pilgrimage phenomenon. To this end, a comparison is proposed here with a better known pre-Columbian pilgrimage site, the state sanctuary of the Incas on the Island of the Sun, focussing on impressive similarities – which include astronomical hierophanies in the management of religious power - but also, on likely differences connected to characteristics peculiar to Cozumel. Proposals for further research are highlighted.