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No journey to Belize can be full with out visiting a Mayan smash (or two), and some of the well-known of all is Xunantunich, additionally spelled Xunan Tunich.

Nestled close to the Guatemala border in Western Belize, Xunantunich (pronounced Shoo-nan-too-nitch) is likely one of the most accessible and engaging Mayan ruins within the nation, and is legendary for having well-preserved stucco pyramids.

We toured Xunantunich with the unbelievable Marvelous Marvin, our information via Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge, the place we stayed as visitors for 3 nights. They provide off-site excursions, and since we embrace native instructional experiences, we enthusiastically mentioned sure to this tour (hosted). 

Marvin was marvelous at giving us a deep dive into Mayan cosmology, historic drugs, and philosophical perception that also has us reflecting.

On this information, we share what we discovered from our expertise, what makes Xunantunich particular — and why you must add it to your Belize itinerary.

A quick historical past of Xunantunich

Xunantunich is positioned in Western Belize, close to the border of Guatemala. This area is named the ceremonial centre of Mayan civilization and is near a few of the most well-known Maya websites – Tikal in Guatemala, being certainly one of them, is just 2 hours away.

Xunantunich in Maya language means “Stone Woman” or “Maiden of the Rock”, referencing a ghostly feminine determine with fiery purple eyes who appeared to a neighborhood hunter within the late 1800s, beckoning him to comply with her right into a cavern, however who disappeared earlier than they might achieve this.

The location was found within the mid-Nineties by a surgeon who moved from England, however methodical excavations didn’t occur till the late Nineteen Forties by Sir J. Eric S. Thompson.

In 1959 and 1960, archaeologist Euan MacKie carried out extra excavations, which took a number of months, and he’s answerable for discovering that most of the buildings had been broken by an earthquake when it was nonetheless occupied, which may have been one of many causes of their abandonment.

It’s estimated to have been deserted for greater than 1,000 years earlier than it was rediscovered, a lot of its historical past is unknown and topic to educated guesses. I’ll share extra of the historical past we discovered concerning the particular person landmarks beneath.

Fascinating details about Xunantunich

• The location dates again to 600 – 300BC BC and was deserted round 1000 AD.  Its heyday was from AD 700 to 900.
• As Marvin was cautious to level out, Xunantunich was ‘rediscovered’ within the late nineteenth century by Europeans, and main excavations passed off in 1959-60.
• “Maya” means “I don’t perceive” within the Yucatec Mayan language — reportedly what was mentioned to Spanish explorers when requested who they had been.
• No gold was discovered right here as a result of the Maya didn’t worth it. In truth, they known as gold the solar’s poop! Jade was their sacred stone.
• The complicated was constructed thrice over, every new era elevating it increased to succeed in the gods.
• A lot of its treasures had been looted by former chewing gum makers who misplaced their jobs and wanted to outlive.

Is Xunantunich value visiting?

We didn’t encounter the Maya Mountain on our go to, however found a web site wealthy with over 3,000 years of historical past, religious symbolism, and architectural feats that also impress right now.

Should you’re touring with children, it’s positively value visiting Xunantunich; it’s a unbelievable means for them to be taught firsthand about this historic tradition, which they’ll usually research in class.

At Xunantunich, you’ll uncover:

• One of the necessary Mayan ceremonial facilities in Western Belize
• El Castillo, a 130-foot-tall pyramid well-known for its panoramic jungle views
• 6 plazas and 32 constructions within the core space measuring about 300 sq. kilometers. It’s giant sufficient to accommodate an estimated 20,000 individuals in its prime!
• Intricate friezes, shrines, and astrological carvings
• Deep cultural perception into Mayan beliefs, numbers, gods, and day by day life – though this might be finest discovered with a information.

And better of all, Xunantunich is a manageable half-day journey that feels immersive with out being overwhelming.

Because it was additionally fairly scorching, we had been all so grateful, it was a small archaeological complicated to discover.

Methods to get to Xunantunich

Xunantunich is positioned within the Cayo District of West Belize, simply exterior the city of San José Succotz and Benque Viejo del Carmen. These are a brief drive from the border of Guatemala and the vacationer hub San Ignacio (30 minutes) within the Maya Mountains.

Arriving on the archeological ruins requires a little bit of journey – taking a hand-cranked ferry throughout the Mopan River.

Don’t fear, there was an attendant who cranked! You’ll have to alight from the automobile and stroll onto the ferry whereas your driver takes the automotive. In case you are not on a guided tour and desire a information, there are a number of sitting on the entrance to the ferry.

Should you arrive in Xunantunich by public transport (buses from Belmopan, Flores, and San Ignacio can drop you right here), when you cross the river, you’ll have to stroll to the archeological web site. It’s a couple of mile stroll.

We noticed just a few walkers as we drove in, which we had been grateful for, as a few of them had noticed a toucan excessive up within the tree. It was so excessive up we may barely see its coloured invoice, so I’m undecided if we are able to examine that off the bucket listing or not.

Xunantunich is a couple of 2.5-hour drive through automotive (80 mi/125km) from Belize Metropolis. In case you have a rental automotive, you possibly can drive there your self! Test DiscoverCars.com for leases – it’s what we personally use and at all times discover one of the best worth.

What you’ll see at Xunantunich

As we walked up the small, steep hill into the core complicated, Marvin identified that the Maya civilization on this space radiated a number of kilometers out from the complicated, which encompassed settlements.

In fact, the lesser people, who weren’t deemed necessary sufficient to enter the religious grounds. He identified the “guard towers” that might halt unwelcome guests! On our go to, we had our elevated aura on as we had been allowed passage to the plazas above!

El Castillo

Xunantunich is most well-known for El Castillo, the principle construction of the positioning – the citadel – which stands over 130 toes tall and is the second-highest artifical construction in Belize (Canaa at Caracol is the primary).

El Castillo was actually a big multi-complex constructing that served as a dwelling, shrine, and administrative hub for the elite rulers of the middle. Every era constructed on prime of the final, reaching ever nearer to the heavens – the aim at all times being to get nearer to God.

Marvin guided us up and across the construction, declaring hidden carvings, tiny bedrooms, bats taking residence within the roof, friezes, carvings, and the gorgeous views over to Guatemala from the highest, the place used for stargazing, talking, and sacrificial occasions.

How did the individuals to this point beneath hear what the rulers had been saying? Properly, the Maya had been extremely good.

The town was constructed for the sound to mirror and bounce off the constructions, permitting these in energy to undertaking their voice simply and people beneath to listen to.

The japanese and western summits of El Castillo have giant stucco friezes with carved components that characterize astronomical symbols, the solar god, the moon, and Venus.

Marvin was glorious in telling the tales of the intricate and pale carvings of necessary Mayan gods, like:

• Chaac – the rain god, with a wide-open mouth to welcome the Solar God
• IxChel (Kinich Ahau) – the moon goddess and deity of medication and knowledge
• Bacab – the god mentioned to carry up the universe

Many of those carvings are replicas constructed to protect the delicate originals, however the impression is highly effective simply the identical.

A number of the stairs are fairly slender with a drop-off shut by.  I don’t need to scare you, and I do know you’ll be effective, however I need to put together you in case you’ve gotten a concern of heights, and you might be climbing with small children. Simply go sluggish and regular. And put on sturdy footwear!

The ceremonial Pok-ta-pok ball court docket 

I used to be actually fascinated by this complete pok-ta-pok recreation. I really like video games and sports activities, however I might have been sitting this one out and feigning harm. 

The game was regarded as a cross between basketball and soccer and performed with the hips and a 9-lb rubber ball. The ball can be shot via the ring sideways fairly than via the highest. The court docket was the place disputes had been settled with high-stakes video games that included sacrificing the winners to the Gods.

The Tomb

In 2016, archaeologists uncovered the primary royal tomb at Xunantunich—one of many largest ever present in Belize. Inside had been the stays of a younger man (20–30 years previous), together with jaguar and deer bones, jade beads, obsidian blades, and dozens of ceramic vessels. Close by, two carved panels—initially from the ceremonial staircase at Caracol—had been found.

These panels inform the story of the highly effective Snake Dynasty, together with the origins of its rule, the relocation of its capital, the loss of life of Lord Okay’an II’s mom, and even reference a beforehand unknown ruler of Calakmul.

Marvin defined the pale hieroglyphs on the panel utilizing a printed model that depicts what’s regarded as the complete, unfaded model. It was a reasonably thrilling discover within the archaeological world and proof that the Maya story is certainly nonetheless unfolding and evolving!

Plazas and Palaces

There are six plazas and over two dozen constructions on the positioning. You’ll see:

• The palace complicated with 13 rooms—representing the 13 ranges of heaven
• Shrines aligned with the winter and summer season solstices and designed for necessary courses
• A construction generally known as “the blind,” regarded as constructed to neglect the previous
• Customer heart and artifacts in Xunantunich, Belize

A Glimpse into Mayan Life and Beliefs

Marvin painted a vivid image of the Maya: peaceable, clever, deeply religious.

They had been the primary civilization to know the idea of zero, they used astrology to align their temples, and so they relied on native crops for drugs. And sure, that iconic purple lipstick coloration? It got here from crushed beetles.

The temples had been organized with sacred geometry and prime numbers—symbols of energy, connection to the gods, and divine order. The staircases are deliberately steep to sluggish you down as you ascend to make choices to the gods.

However their desperation to please the gods led to some troubling practices—human sacrifice, environmental destruction, and ultimately, hunger and migration.

As a result of whenever you begin sacrificing your personal individuals—particularly the neatest and strongest—and depleting the land to win divine favor, your inhabitants is certain to dwindle.

I really like journey experiences that make me assume, and this one has stayed with me. I’ve mirrored so much on what people have finished all through historical past within the title of connecting with God. Why would any increased energy be happy by loss of life and destruction?

Need to really feel near God? Go exterior. Hug a tree. Watch a dawn. Observe kindness. You’ll discover your connection—no sacrifice wanted (besides possibly your ego). Case closed.

As Marvin defined, the Maya didn’t “collapse”—they advanced and moved on, their traditions nonetheless alive in Belize right now. Evident by the scrumptious Maya meals we skilled on our Belize journey, launching it into my prime 5 favourite cuisines on this planet.

Classes from our go to

• Don’t underestimate a half-day journey. We got here away with extra data and reflection than we anticipated.
• A information can shift every thing. Marvin was a strolling encyclopedia—and hilarious. “Individuals assume I’m on medicine,” he laughed. “No, I’m simply Maya dwelling.”
• Hearken to the forest. From timber that make you itch to ones that supply pure glue or therapeutic oils, the jungle across the ruins is as a lot part of the story because the stones. Hopefully, you’ve gotten a information like Marvin who can share these hidden secrets and techniques with you.
• People do probably the most silly issues of their quests to get nearer to, and perceive God, and really feel safety in what comes subsequent within the afterlife.

Ideas for visiting Xunantunich

• Get there early. Morning visits are cooler and provide higher wildlife sightings, particularly colourful birds and toucans.
• Put on sturdy footwear. You’ll be climbing steep, slender staircases – though not plenty of them. Go sluggish and be with the Gods.
• Deliver water and sunscreen. It will get scorching rapidly.
• Don’t rush. Give your self time to climb El Castillo and discover the encircling plazas.
• Get a information or be a part of a tour

Guided vs. Self-Guided Excursions

When you can go to Xunantunich by yourself, we extremely advocate going with a licensed information. Ours, Marvin, was extremely educated, passionate, and filled with tales that introduced the positioning to life.

A passionate and devoted information, Marvin research the Maya tradition profusely and retains updated with all the newest discoveries on Xunantunich. He had insider data that others didn’t – and had been telling previous, outdated tales!

With out Marvin, we by no means would have noticed the hidden carving of the Solar God Kinich Ahau—cross-eyed, mendacity on its aspect, and reworking right into a jaguar. Or understood the sacred symbolism etched into the friezes on the prime of El Castillo.

Or grasped the depth of Mayan beliefs, like their ball recreation, the place winners had been honored with sacrifice and granted everlasting life within the heavens, whereas losers and their households had been condemned to the underworld.

These seemingly small particulars carry monumental cultural weight and are simple to overlook with out a information. Are you able to think about signing up for a recreation the place the best-case situation is loss of life?

Why select a guided tour

• Licensed guides in Belize are government-licensed and educated in historical past, botany, CPR, and first support.
• You gained’t have to fret about determining entrance tickets, maps, find out how to discover the positioning, or what to focus your time on. There actually weren’t any placards round, so I really feel you’ll be taking a look at a bunch of stone pyramids, clueless as to what all of it meant to the Maya tradition.
• For us, as our information was from our lodging, Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge, we additionally didn’t have to fret about transportation to the archeological web site. Marvin drove us and regaled us with tales and historical past alongside the way in which!
• You’ll be taught the actual tales behind what you’re seeing—like why the Mayans constructed constructions in layers or how they understood zero lengthy earlier than Europeans did.
• Guides like Marvin share fascinating makes use of of native crops (like fever grass for coughs or autograph crops the place you possibly can actually write your title within the leaf).

Be a part of a guided tour beforehand right here. Throughout peak season (summer season and January/February), excursions will promote out, so make sure to reserve your time. (don’t neglect to tip!).

A number of of the Get Your Information excursions additionally embrace different close by sights, making it much more enticing to see extra of the native space.

The decision: Would we advocate Xunantunich?

Definitely, we might advocate you go to Xunantunich. Xunantunich is likely one of the finest Mayan ruins in Belize for vacationers who desire a significant expertise with out a large trek.

It’s simple to get to, wealthy in historical past, and filled with perception. Whether or not you’re into historic civilizations, cultural journey, or simply love a great jungle temple journey, put Xunantunich in your Belize journey itinerary.

And should you’re fortunate sufficient to tour with Marvelous Marvin, put together to snicker, be taught, and possibly query every thing you thought you knew about human historical past.