The skeletal remains of an adult Maya, along with several artifacts and ceramics – reported to be over 2000 years old – was discovered during the replacement of drainage pipes on Burns Avenue: one of the busiest streets in San Ignacio, Cayo.
In addition, bone tools, ceramic vessels, conch shell fragments, deer antlers, obsidian blade fragments, peccary teeth and pottery shards were buried with the individual who, according to renowned archaeologist Dr. Jaime Awe, was a male. Of the ceramic vessels obtained, three were complete while the pottery shards included an etched Juventud-Red vessel which possibly dates the site as early as the Middle Pre-Classic Period. What’s more is that the situ, which may have been abandoned after being destroyed by flood waters, is believed to be a part of Cahal Pech, thus proving that the “Place Of Ticks” was as extensive a settlement as was originally thought.
The artifacts, ceramics and remains will be displayed in the Welcome Center which is currently under construction as part of the development and rehabilitation of San Ignacio Town. For the time being, though, locals and tourists alike flock to the site to offer assistance, speculation and support to the archaeologists who’ve halted public works until their excavation is completed.
Actress Kathryn Felicia Day highlights her visit to the epicenter of inland touring – Belize’s Cayo District – having utilized Ka’ana as her exclusive outpost. From grazing pastures to diverse eco-tours, she depicts her journey to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave and Xunantunich Maya City – two of the region’s most impressive and popular attractions.
“If the world had any ends, British Honduras [Belize] would certainly be one of them” (Jacques Cousteau) – and what better place to witness its end than atop a centuries-old Maya City in what was once the center of the Maya Empire?
The piece, written by Jamie Moore – author and freelance writer, describes the experience as an amazing “bucket-list trip to see the last page of the Maya calendar” and highlights features of the experience including the Caana Temple climb, Ka’ana room replica, Maya gourmet dinner, and private-guided, torch-lit tour.
Formerly British Honduras, Belize lies on the Caribbean Coast of Central America and is bounded by Mexico to the North, and Guatemala to the West and South. It is the second smallest country in Central America, roughly the size of Massachusetts, and the only English-speaking of the seven. With its population a little over 350,000, Belize is a true melting pot of cultures, rivaling that of its neighbors with an influence of Creole, Garinagu, Maya and Mestizo to name a few.
Its westernmost region, the Cayo District, is the largest and most populated of the six, and the epicenter of inland touring. Swathed in almost untouched jungles, it is dotted with ancient cities, riddled with underground passages and supports diverse ecosystems ideal for adventure as well as nature lovers. Its most popular archaeological sites include Actun Tunichil Muknal, Barton Creek, Cahal Pech, Caracol, Che Chem Ha and Xunantunich.
Cave Tube & Zip Line
Feel the adrenaline pumping through your body as you zip-line above the jungle canopy from treetop to treetop and relax while floating along cool waters on inner tubes, gently pushed by a current through a series of caves.
Visit The Region’s Popular Maya Cities
Cahal Pech, small as it may seem, is a 3,200 year-old Maya City where the architecture of these ancients is visible to the fullest.
Caracol, located in the heart of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, is Belize’s largest Maya Ruin and home to Caana – the tallest structure in the country!
Only a 10-minute drive from Ka’ana, Xunantunich – one of the most popular sites in the region – is accessed by a hand-cranked chain ferry, providing panoramic views of Guatemala and the surrounding valleys from atop El Castillo.
Explore Portals To The Maya Underworld
You’ll be amazed by the many artifacts, including human remains, strewn about and experience the chills of sloshing in ice-cold river water – all inside Actun Tunichil Muknal, sure to be the highlight of your vacation!
Hidden within a Mennonite community, canoe into the Maya Underworld while listening to the history of Barton Creek Cave unfold.
Unlike ATM and Barton Creek, Che Chem Ha is a dry cave that offers a nine-layered journey into the Maya Underworld using ladders and ropes, as well as a refreshing dip in a 214-feet waterfall located only a few minutes away.
With numerous spectacular attractions, there are plenty of adventures to discover and explore the ultimate destination that is Belize!
Experience a departure from the traditional horseback riding tour when you visit the private ranch of the Santiago Juan family. Ride across an open pasture towards the bank of the Mopan River and be led by Luis, your personal guide and ranch hand. An exciting river crossing takes you off the beaten path and on an eye-opening ride that reveals a different, slower way of life.
Included in the tour is a stop at a yet-unexcavated Mayan site on the ranch. Luis will provide the history of the area while you dismount your horses and hike to the top of a Maya mound. From that vantage point, you will have a 360 degree view of the valleys and mountains as well as peek at the excavated Maya city of Xunantunich. This tour can be done in a half day or extended for a full day to include a private picnic and a first-hand view of the ranch-hands at work.
Considered to be the heartland of a civilization that once was, Belize boasts a rich heritage of archaeological sites. Its Cayo District, one of the last unspoiled places on earth and once the epicenter of the Maya, is dotted with ancient cities and ruins.
Travel across one of the last hand-cranked chain ferries which leads to Xunantunich, “Maiden of the Rock” – one of the region’s most legendary and popular archaeological sites frequented by a multitude of adventure travelers. Perch atop “El Castillo” which rises above the jungle canopy and witness panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, valleys as well as villages. Stop on the way back at a traditional market in the village of San Jose Succotz on the Mopan River, offering local crafts made from cloth, fabrics, slate, wood and other natural products.
With a myriad of spectacular natural attractions, there are plenty of adventures – archaeological sites being only one of them – to discover and explore Belize as a diverse destination!
Explorer Diane Dreyfus highlights her visit to the epicenter of inland touring – Belize’s Cayo District. From grazing pastures to the diverse and friendly people, she depicts her journey to two of the most legendary Maya Ruins in the region – Cahal Pech and Xunantunich – the former in the residential Twin Town of San Ignacio, the latter in the quiet Village of San Jose Succotz.
