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A Guide to the Maya Temples of Belize

A Guide to the Maya Temples of Belize It is estimated that there are thousands of Maya Ruins in Belize. Few have been found and escavated by scientists but thousands more exist that are yet to be discovered. This makes Belize a prime destination for tourists and archaeologists all around the world. The beauty is that each temple have a story behind its creation, making each one of them unique and important as the other. Here are some basic facts about some of these magnificent structures and there whereabouts. Altun Ha (Water of the Rock) Altun Ha is the closest archaeological site closest to Belize City and was a major ceremonial center . Altun Ha functioned as a central trading link between the Caribbean coast and Maya centers in the interior during the Maya Classic Period. Belize's famous Jade Head was found here. Altun Ha is located near Rockstone Pond Village in the Belize District. Cahal Pech (Place of thicks) Maya temples in the midst of a present-day town differentiate Cahal Pech from other Maya sites in Belize. Situated in San Ignacio town along the bank of the Macal River in the Cayo District, Cahal Pech was a ceremonial center with temples, palaces and a ball court and offers visitors a spectacular panoramic view of San Ignacio and the Belize River Valley. Caracol (The Snail) Caracol is Belize's premier Maya site with a rich and exciting history as a rival power to the famous Tikal in Guatemala. Covering an area of some 65 sq.miles, this site is impressive not only for its size but it's immense agricultural field system and elaborate city planning. Caracol is found deep in the heart of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve of the Maya Mountains in the Cayo District. Cerros (The Hills) Cerros is the only Maya site in Belize that is situated on the sea coast. Cerros was a key commercial center during the late Pre-Classic period, with Maya traders arriving by canoe from coast through the Bay of Chetumal, as well as from upriver the Rio Hondo in the north and the New River in the south. Cerros is located on a northern peninsula in the Bay of Chetumal, across Corozal Town. El Pilar (Watering Basin) El Pilar, an archaeological reserve for Maya flora and fauna astride the Belize-Guatemala border. "EI Pilar" is Spanish for "watering basin," reflecting the abundance of water in the area, an uncommon trait for most Maya sites. El Pilar in its heyday was more than three times the size of the bettter known center of Xunantunich. Lamanai (Submerged Crocodile) Lamanai's major attraction is the well-preserved mask of a Maya ruler emerging from a corocodile headdress. Lamanai was continously occupied for over 3,000 years, up until European contact. Lamanai is concidered one of Belize's largest Maya centers. This famous maya temple sits on the bank of the 30 mile long New River Lagoon in the Orange Walk District. Lubaantun (Place of Fallen Stones) The temples of Lubaantun are unique in that they were built entirely without the aid of mortar - each stone carefully measured and cut to fit the adjoining one. Lubaantun was built in the Late Classic period and is the largest ceremonial center in southern Belize. Lubaantun is situated above a tributary to the Columbia River that lies near the Maya village of San Pedro Columbia in the Toledo District. Nim Li Punit (Big Hat) Nim Li Punit inherited its name from a carving on the longest of the sites's twent-six stelae. This site is well know for the number of stelae dicovered here. The longest stelae is carved with a figure wearing a large headdress and at a length of some 30 ft is the longest discovered in Belize and one of the tallest in the Maya world. Nim Li Punit is situated near the village of Indian Creek in the Toledo district. Xunantunich (Maiden of the Rock) Xunantunich was a major ceremonial site, built on a natural limestone ridge during the Classic Period. The site is composed of six major plazas with more than twenty-five temples and palaces. Xunantunich site atop a hill overlooking the Mopan River and the Cayo District and lies eight miles west of San Ignacio Town, directly across from the village of San Jose Succotz. Source: http://www.travelbelize.org http://www.destination360.com/central-americalbelize/altun-ha http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-p132374-Main_Temple_of_Cahal_Pech.html http://www.destination360.com/central-america/belizeſimages/s/caracol.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cerros1.jpg| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tzunuun_El_Pilar.jpg http://people.uncw.edu/simmonss/tourism_development_project_at_1.htm http://www.guidetobelize.infolen/maya/belize-mayan-guide.shtml http://www.duplooys.com/mayansites/xunantunich.php http://bzmtours.com/nim_li_punit.php DESIGNED AND ILLUSTRATED BY: ELVIS SARAVIA BROUGHT TO YOU BY: IBELMOPAN2.BLOGSPOT.COM TO PURCHASE A PRINTED COPY OF THIS INFOGRAPHIC CONTACT: DAVID GONZALEZ [802-GEEK(3445)] OR [610-2769]

A Guide to the Maya Temples of Belize

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It is estimated that there are thousands of May ruins in Belize. Few have been found and escavated by scientists but thousands more exist that are yet to be discovered. This makes Belize a prime desti...

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