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MAYAN RUINS OF
BELIZE
B E L I Z E
LUBAATUN
Lubaantún is
located in the very south of Belize and is only 6 miles from Nim Li Punit.
Its name means "place of fallen stones" in Mayan. Probably named because of
its dry masonry style of architecture. There is now much debate over whether
Lubaatún was a site or part of Nim Li Punit. The debate is over stelae. Nim
Li Punit has way to many and Lubaatún has none. One reasonable explanation
for this is that perhaps Nim Li Punit was the ceremonial center and Lubaatún
was the commercial center.
Aside from the stelae here are other reasons for this thinking. 1) Lubaatún had a very
short lifespan from 730 A.D. to 890 A.D. 2) Pyramids at Lubaantun are man-made stone
platforms on top of which stood perishable buildings. 3) Pyramids and temples are
constructed of dressed stone without any mortar and carvings are lacking. Whatever the
reason we know that Lubaatún became a commercial success and was a major marketplace in
its time. It was a focal point for trade as goods would be brought to the center and then
redistributed. The main marketplace was located in Lubaantún's ceremonial enclosure and
the town's own contribution to the regional trade system was its clay figurines.
The largest structure at Lubaantún rises 36 feet above the plaza floor. From the
summit of this structure there is a beautiful view of the foothills of the Maya Mountains
and the Toledo coastal plains. The center of the site lies along a ridge top twenty miles
from the sea. In contrast to other sites, the Maya of Lubaantún took to shaping the
ridges and slopes of the hilltop rather then leveling it off. The ceremonial center of
this site has 11 major structures grouped around five main plazas.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
MARCO GONZALEZ - The Marco Gonzalez site may be the largest ruin on
Ambergris Caye. The site lies two miles south of the town of San Pedro, it covers an area
of about 500 meters by 150 meters and 60 constructions. There is a central plaza and
several small courtyard groupings. The site is considered to be early Classic with
occupation until the late Classic and during the Post Classic Marco Gonzalez underwent
large scale expansion. The bulk of the ruins were constructed during this post classic
era.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
NIM LI PUNIT
means "big hat" in Mayan.
Today, Nim Li Punit over looks milpas, jungle and the Toledo coastal plain
near the village of Indian Creek. The site is about a fifteen minute walk
from the road and is situated along the top of a ridge in the foothills of
the Maya Mountains. There is ample evidence that this site was only occupied
during the very late classic period. Nim Li Punit consists of a main plaza
bordered on three sides by moderately sized buildings, except on the west
side where there is a pyramid. To the north and at a lower level, is a ball
court.
The ruins of Nim Li Punit were not discovered until 1976. And archaeological
restoration did not begin until the early 1980's. A royal tomb was discovered in the mid
80's which yielded pottery and many other artifacts, however, much more work needs to be
done at the site. Nim Li Punit is short on architectural masterpieces like other Maya
sites, but is special for the large number of stelae found at this site. These are large,
sometimes huge, stone slabs or pillars. Twenty five stelae, eight of which are carved,
were found there. One remains the tallest carved stela in Belize. Nim Li Punit is much too
small to have so many stelae and its neighbor, Lubaantún, has none. So, since the two
sites are neighbors it has been suggested that Lubauntún was the economic and political
capital of the region, while Nim Li Punit served as the worshipping place of its ruling
dynasty.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
NOHMUL
Nohmul means 'Great Mound'
in Mayan. Nohmul is spread out among privately owned sugar cane fields 7
miles north of Orange Walk Town in northern Belize. The site occupies about
12 square miles of land. Nohmul was occupied first during the Pre-Classic
era from 350 B.C. to A.D. 250 and again during the Late Classical period
from 600 to 900 A.D.
The ceremonial center is located on a limestone ridge and contains a massive acropolis
atop which sits a pyramid. The main site also consists of two groups of buildings with ten
plazas. These are connected by sacbes. Combined, these complexes house more than 81
separate buildings. Most of them were constructed either in the pre Classic or Classic
period, although there is evidence of additional building activity in the early post
Classic.
Built at a vantage point on the Hondo River to control the region's trade routes, the
site had a long life. Structures of the northern Yucatán type were built over those
erected in the Classic. Some of these new constructions covered the front of older
stairways. These newer constructions include one that resembles the Caracol in Chichén
Itzá. These later constructions support the theory that outsiders from the Yucatan
settled in Nohmul.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
PACBITUM
Means "Stones Set in the Earth" in
Mayan. It is located just two miles to the east of San Antonio on private
land and is the most southern of the Belize River sites. Archaeological
evidence shows Pacbitum to be one of the oldest Preclassic Maya sites. The
site contains nearly 30 constructions of temples and pyramids and several
stalae. One of the interesting part of the ruins at Pacbitum is an
irrigation system which was built above the ground. The ruins have also
produced precious Maya art and rare musical instruments have also been
found.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
SANTA RITA COROZAL
The site of Santa Rita is located in the City of
Corozol. It is reachable by car or taxi. Due to its location some archaeologists believe
that Santa Rita was probably the ancient and important Maya city of Chetumal. From this
location the city held control of the trade routes along the coast during the early
Classic period. They also could control the entrances to the Rio Hondo and New River which
were major arteries of trade to Lamanai and the Peten Region. Archaeologists have
identified strong trade links with major centers deep within the interior.
The ruins at Santa Rita have long suffered the wrath of urban growth due to the
expansion of the City of Corozol. The ruins made very convenient road fill and the stones
were excellent for house foundations. The exact borders of the ancient Maya city are
unknown. Though exhibiting a long occupational history, Santa Rita was mainly an important
Postclassic site which was occupied even when the Spanish arrived. The formation of the
city dates to around 2000 B.C. This date was established through the discovery of a burial
site containing very early pottery. The only existing structure at the ruin dates from the
Classic Period. This building is a complex series of rooms and passages. The central room
appeared to be some sort of ceremonial chamber where offerings were made. Two burial
chambers were uncovered here, one containing elaborate jewelry and pottery. The second
burial chamber contained a ceremonial flint and a stingray spine used in bloodletting
rituals. The Postclassic Period at Santa Rita, the Period to which the importance of this
site is normally attached, is revealed through artifacts rather than structures. Because
very little remains of the structures of this time period.
The artifacts found at Santa Rita from the Postclassic Period reveal that exotic
rituals such as blood-letting, so important during the Classic Period, continued to play
an important religious role. The presence of turquoise and gold ear-flakes of Aztec
origin, which also date from the Postclassic Period, attests to the importance of Santa
Rita several hundred years after the decline of the major ceremonial centers of the
interior. After a short decline during the Late Classic Period, Santa Rita once again rose
to prominence. With the decline of Classic sites to the north, Santa Rita became one of
the 19 Mayan political entities as recorded by the invading Spanish. At that time it was
called "Chactemal", corresponding to the present day Chetumal.
Belize
Archaeological Sites
UXBENKA
Uxbenka means "Old Place" in Mayan.
The site, which is not extensive, perches on a ridge overlooking the
foothills and valleys of the Maya Mountains in the Toledo District of
southern Belize. Old place appears to be an appropriate name for the site
since it dates from the Early Classic Period. Unfortunately the site is not
in good archaeological form at the present and contains structural mounds, a
small plaza and some unexcavated pyramids. There are also seven carved
stelae at the site and while one of them contains the earliest
archaeological date yet recorded in southern Belize, most are too badly
eroded to read. There are also thirteen noncarved stelae. The nearby
hillsides have been faced with cut terrace stones. This art form has not
been found outside the Toledo District. Since the site was only discovered
in 1984 it has not been reconstructed yet.
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