[suh-noh-tee] 
| a deep natural well or sinkhole, esp. in Central America, formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes ground water underneath, and sometimes used by the ancient Mayans for sacrificial offerings. |
| ce·no·te (sə-nō'tē) n. A water-filled limestone sinkhole of the Yucatán. [American Spanish, from Yucatec ts'onot.] |
cenote
(from Maya dz'onot), natural well or reservoir, common in the Yucatan Peninsula, formed when a limestone surface collapses, exposing water underneath. The major source of water in modern and ancient Yucatan, cenotes are also associated with the cult of the rain gods, or Chacs. In ancient times, notably at Chichen Itza, precious objects, such as jade, gold, copper, and incense and also human beings, usually children, were thrown into the cenotes as offerings. A survivor was believed to bring a message from the gods about the year's crops
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