Cozumel: "Ah-Cuzamil-Peten"
             The place known as modern day Cozumel was settled over 2,000 years ago by people of the Maya Civilization. They discovered the tiny island off the Yucatan Peninsula and named it "Ah-Cuzamil-Peten.", meaning "land of the swallows", after the native birds that live there. The island was an important trade and religious center for the Maya. Merchants used to buy the salt and honey produced on the island. The Maya considered salt and honey more valuable than gold. Historians believe that El Caracol ruin was built as an ancient lighthouse to guide the travelers safely to shore.
             Cozumel was also the home of the Ixchel (lady rainbow), the Moon Goddess of fertility, pregnancy and childbirth. Ixchel was one of the most important gods in the Maya religious pantheon. Every woman in Mesoamerica was required, at least once in her life, to make a pilgrimage and place an offering on Ixchel's altar. Today, Ixchel's ruins and ceremonial center can be seen at San Gervasio ruins. .
             During the early 1500's, shortly after the "New World" was discovered, Spain began intensely exploring. In 1518, Juan de Grijalva, the nephew to the Cuban Governor, was investigating the Yucatan Peninsula. He left Havana with 300 men and four ships. Eighteen days into his trip, he discovered Cozumel when his ship was blown off course. He mentioned the island to Hernan Cortes who arrived in 1519 in search of gold.
             In 1519, when Herrnan Cortes, arrived at Cozumel with 11 hips and 750 men, he found two shipwrecked Spaniards. Geronimo de Aguilar and Gonzales Guerrera had been living on the island with the Maya for over 15 years, first as slaves but then finally as citizens of the community. Legend has it that de Aguilar was so happy to be rescued that he jumped from shore and started swimming towards the Cortes ship when it was still 20 miles away. Guerrera chose to remain on the isla...