Belize, the perfect destination for archaeology lovers and explorers

With over a million inhabitants between 250 and 900 AD, the Maya built cities that attract archaeologists from around the world to delve into their fascinating past. Excavated sites like Caracol, Xunantunich, Lamanai, and Altun Ha captivate travelers who marvel at their glyphs, stelae, and other fascinating artifacts.

Today, the country's Maya communities have transformed their cultural heritage into firsthand experiences to teach the impact of what has been passed down through the generations.

Visit a Maya Site
No matter where you are in Belize, visiting a Maya archaeological site offers an immersive experience of the ancient Maya civilization. You can take a guided tour in the Corozal District in Santa Rita, the Toledo District in Nim Li Punit, or the Cayo District in Cahal Pech to learn about intricate carvings, plazas, and ball courts that tell stories of Maya social construction.

Learn about Mayan hieroglyphs
Expand your curiosity about the Mayan world by deciphering Mayan glyphs or hieroglyphs. To better understand the language of their ancestors, today's Mayans invest their time in researching and rewriting glyphs to read stelae and carvings from thousands of years ago. They also incorporate Mayan hieroglyphic writing into pottery and clay ceramics, which is still internationally recognized. You can even write your name in an epigraphy class to engrave it on your own piece of clay.

Caving or Cave Exploration
Archaeology goes deeper than the surface. You will be more intrigued by a visit to a cave, known as the path to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. Archaeologists have found skeletal remains, ceramics, and pottery in caves like Actun Tunichil Mucnal (ATM Cave). Discovering these artifacts doesn't simply mean knowing they were present in these places, but that they held profound significance for their beliefs. So, whether you're canoeing, tubing, or cave trekking, consider it a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the entrances to Xibalba.

Start exploring this bountiful country from north to south to celebrate International Archaeology Day. From adventures in Mayan temples and caves to a visit to the Maya Creating Civilization exhibit, an exciting mix of education and fun awaits.

Some of the Mayan archaeological sites worth visiting include:

Xunantunich
Located on a hilltop overlooking the Mopan River and the Cayo district, the area was an important ceremonial site built on a natural limestone ridge during the Classic Period. It is comprised of six major plazas, with more than 25 Mayan temples and palaces.

“El Castillo,” the largest pyramid, 39 meters above the plaza, has carved friezes on the east and west sides. The eastern frieze has been preserved and covered with a fiberglass replica of the central mask depicting the sun god. It is flanked by the moon and Venus.

Caracol,
one of Belize's finest ancient Maya temples, is located in the heart of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve of the Maya Mountains, in the Cayo District.

Covering an area of ​​nearly 10,117 hectares, this site is impressive not only for its size but also for its immense agricultural field system and elaborate urban planning. It is one of the most pristine and well-maintained Maya sites in Belize. Numerous carved monuments establish Caracol as a major player in the geopolitics of the Classic Period Maya world.

Altun Ha,
the closest archaeological site to Belize City, was an important ceremonial center of Maya culture and the discovery site of the famous Belize Jade Head. Two main plazas with approximately 13 Mayan temples and residential structures have been excavated here.

A unique feature of this site is the absence of carved stelae, while its most notable artifact is a large jade carving of the Mayan sun god Kinich Ahau. Weighing almost 4.5 kg, this 15.2 cm carving is the largest carved jade object found in any Mayan community in the region. A replica of the “Jade Head,” a national treasure, is on display at the Central Bank of Belize, and its likeness is a watermark on all Belizean currency.

El Pilar
This isolated Ancient Mayan Temple is three times larger than Xunantunich and is still being excavated today. Here you can gain insight into how the Maya lived, discovering their homes, gardens, and crops. El Pilar was occupied from 800 BC to 1000 AD, and at one time had over 20,000 residents.

It is one of the largest Classic Period Maya sites in Belize. The center has a well-defined civic/ceremonial section that includes private and public areas. With 15 patios or plazas, it is one of the largest Maya sites in the Belize Valley and is located approximately 50 kilometers from the largest prehistoric city of Tikal in Guatemala.

Cahal Pech
Just steps from the present-day city of Cahal Pech, also known as "The Place of the Ticks" in Yucatec Maya, this Maya site is very easy to visit. Located in San Ignacio, on the banks of the Macal River, in the Cayo District, Cahal Pech was a ceremonial center, with temples, palaces, and a ball court. The site offers spectacular panoramic views of San Ignacio and the Belize River Valley.

The site is particularly important for the information it has provided about the earliest Mayan settlements in the region, for its large number of Preclassic figures, and for its complex residential architecture. Indeed, its labyrinth of interconnected rooms provides an excellent example of Late Classic Mayan palace architecture.

Lamanai
was occupied for over 3,000 years, until the arrival of Europeans. The Archaeological Reserve not only houses a museum with ancient Mayan artifacts, but visitors can also see the remains of two 16th-century Spanish churches and a colonial sugar mill founded in 1860.

One of Lamanai's main attractions is the well-preserved mask of a Mayan ruler emerging from a crocodile-shaped headdress.

Whether you want to explore for an afternoon, a day, or a week, the ancient Mayan sites are well worth your time. All archaeological sites are managed by the Institute of Archaeology and have interpretive centers, as well as trained guides to show you around.

From Caracol and Cerros to Lamanai and small towns and forested areas, you'll find ancient Mayan temples practically everywhere you go. Get your hat and whip ready, Belizean-a-Jones.

Fuente: Belize Tourism Board.