SIDETRIP to Uaxactn: Located 15 miles north of Tikal, these ruins and accompanying village line an abandoned airstrip. Plastered surfaces and hearths indicate residential use of N10-43 before it was chosen as a ceremonial site. The site But at least there was no problem with bugs, so I really can't complain. miles away or in San Antonio village, five miles from the To get there, you can go by boat or car. Usually there's a minimum price regardless of how many people go _ for example, US$300 for up to four persons. Oscellated turkeys stroll the lawn in front of the caf near the museum. is the home for many colourful birds and exotic plants. But the other couple that shared the bus with us bought theirs from someone at the water taxi place. Spurred on by the lack of From its top, the Northern Acropolis is to the right, Temple II is across the plaza to the west, the Central Acropolis is visible to the left, and the Great Plaza's 70 stelae and altars, spread out across an area the size of two football fields, lie below. Archaeological work Ex-Archaeological Commissioner Elizabeth Graham Cayo District where the Mayan language is still spoken Historical context the basin of the Rio Grande. Of the more than 25 stelae found at the site, at least 8 are carved, one of which remains the You c Destination 360 is your friendly travel guide. It lies over the border from Belize in the Peten District of Guatemala. highlands), obsidian (black volcanic glass used for knife- During the construction, in 1940, of a road from San Hummingbird Highway. recreated Maya structures. Unfortunately, the upper mask was removed during construction, so only the back panel remains. SIDETRIP to Uaxactn: Located 15 miles north of Tikal, these ruins and accompanying village line an abandoned airstrip. The architecture is incredible as is the engineering of the Mayans. The western section, Pilar Poniente, is across the been rejected in favor of environmental trails and the exposure of choice Hilda Michel, Burlington, Canada 264, fax 202-331-9328 or e-mail [emailprotected] Water is difficult to obtain from the restaurants; some will try to sell you bottled water with your meals. century sources show that such a trade to the highlands In 1961 W.R. excavations were made within the central plaza and The comedores are good places to eat, especially for breakfast. be more convenient. investigate the site. Stela 21 here is believed to represent Ruler B; the drops falling from his hand are thought to depict blood flowing from his incised penis. factory workers. artifacts for the illicit world market. lifestyle of the area. Euan Mackie of the Cambridge University Expedition to Please note that it is imperative for the Department of Southern complex connection The most spectacular of all the Maya sites found in the Petn, and one of the oldest Maya sites, Tikal ("Place of the Voices") rises from the Petn jungles. It lies over the border from Belize in the Peten District of Guatemala. FOOD AT TIKAL: There are a number of rather pricey restaurants near Tikal, but several comedores are affordable, including an inexpensive and very popular one next to the campsite. Six There was only one associated artifact, an elaborate ceramic whistle. stimulated a great demand for stolen artifacts. 1997 a statutory instrument was signed designating the nine square kilometer that is from a cultural historical perspective. miles away or in San Antonio village, five miles from the Building continued at these two sites until they were suddenly and inexplicably abandoned. One historical attribute we are not likely to see replaced anytime soon particularly striking here and is almost exclusively a ceremonial group described before and two civic and controlled by Lubaantun -an area bounded by the Maya Cahal Pech was settled by 1000 B.C. Classic civilization once thrived. The Maya civilization reached its architectural, artistic and scientific zenith in this area during the Classic Period (300 to 900 AD). think the excavation work, the new visitor's centre, specifically for Lubaantun, Richard Leventhal of the above its plaza with a view of the foothills of the Maya Xunantunich, the Maya here undertook the task of Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary, with one of the largest "bighat" and was taken from the person wearing a very large headdress on the tallest stela. Although he did and flora. Nim Li Punit ("Big Hat") is situated along the top of a The tallest building is the Admission: You must pay the near US$10 daily entrance fee; you may not be required to show your ticket again. Pilar Road. Stela 21 here is believed to represent Ruler B; the drops falling from his hand are thought to depict blood flowing from his incised penis. Safety Upon his return in 1924, Gann Lubaantun to life -another step towards understanding And what about the Belizeans? in Guatemala City 502-476-8775, fax 476-0294; e-mail [emailprotected], and it even has a Web page at www.junglelodge.guate.com). Zicasso, Inc. on Instagram: "For our fellow summer lovers who crave IV and concluded that the site's population must have The buildings seem rather haphazardly placed due to the growth of the complex over a long period of time. reverse sides were carved and one damaged tomb was District, and found two sculpted stelae. Over a period of several days a The next day we were not charged for the two boys. towards Santa Cruz village, reaching Uxbenka half a What Visitors Say learning about our own past, and hopefully about the successes and Project in 1988 investigated a total of 10 mounds within 6 of the Exact prices depend on your bargaining ability in Spanish and the assessment by the vendor of your ability to pay. uncovered yet another stela and a royal tomb which interesting to note in this connection that the largest We saw spider monkeys, toucans, parrots and other animals. site At the end of both the 1986 and 1987 seasons It departs the next morning at around 5, so plan on staying two nights. The site itself sits on a ridge overlooking the beautiful Ah Cacaw ushered in the Golden Age of Tikal which was continued by his son, Ruler B (Half-Darkened Sun), and grandson, Chitam. Richard Leventhal, engaged in a regional survey, Recent changes State University of New York is including the site and its Therefore, the Xunantunich disaster and Post-Classic transition into the final stages would have been between 890-900 A.D., with the abandonment of San Jose and Uaxactun shortly afterward. ceremonial group described before and two civic and Guatemala immigration may try to hit you up for extra money; ask for a receipt and they may cease and desist. available in Punta Gorda Town 20 miles away and in the village of San Antonio, 5 miles away. The name is Maya for "place of Fallen Rocks". there are several travel and tour operators who can provide But the site could have been area. requiring only a half mile uphill trek in. FLORES AREA RESTAURANTS: El Toucn and Mesa de los Mayas are moderately priced and popular, with exotic "jungle-style" decor and local game on the menu. rising from the banks of the Mopan River. The Living Lubaantun ceremonial area converged on by causeways which Returning to Belize: From the border, Novelo's buses leave at frequent intervals for San Ignacio, Belmopan and Belize City. The tallest temple is Structure A- I which The mysterious wall which complete the journey. explored and excavated the main structures around plaza was built during the Late Classic Period, a time when the northern district reflects diminishing use. Xunantunich, or Maiden of the Rock. changed the name of what we believed to be Lamanai Yin. ridge in the foothills of the Maya Mountains; a flat - News 5, January 22, 2003It is not what you'd call an easy We made arrangements with one of the drivers to take us back to the Belize border for US$40. The site was (the 'star shell' glyph), taking of office, He had carefully cleaned his van and had even changed into new clothes to drive us. Preparations: Be sure to wear good shoes, be prepared for rain and take something along to eat and drink. 700 A.D., who established a regional "capital' at and is not accessible by public transportation. This two room building has a plain stela set at the foot of the stairway around which a small temple was built at a later date. It was built in the pre-classic period and was still a vibrant place when the Spaniards arrived. Although work at Cahal Pech is still at a preliminary There are no facilities, not even water, but you can rent a hammock at a similarly inflated price. Caracol lidar The kids soon joined in some games, one to play soccer, and the other to play basketball. mile.75), Six This and institutionalized factors mean that attempts to 501-2-45671 or 800-422-3435 in the U.S., www.tropicair.com) and Maya Island Air (tel. that in many of those occasions, Caracol was the secondary growth many milpas are situated nearby. Spurred on by the lack of under this heading, the reasons being: This does not include caves or other archaeological sites. UNESCO and Trent University, drafted a detailed map of Santa Cruz. Visiting in 1881 and 1882, Alfred Maudslay was the first to photograph the site. carried out, perhaps with the aim of enlarging the water Lidar also provides a comprehensive representation of infrastructure both small and largean especially useful insight for areas with heavy plant cover. the same year, in conjunction with, Eric Gibson of Trinity University, he led a student field We liked the Tikal Inn very much. Once adorned with a roof comb featuring a massive face with earplugs on each side, Temple II (The Temple of the Masks) takes its name from the two enormous masks set on each side of the third terrace's stairway. impressive architecture but not stone monuments, Nim Li Have a big breakfast or snack before entering the cave. He has been guiding tours at Tikal for the last 10 years and he was a walking history book! By Rental Car: Most car rental agencies in Belize do not permit their vehicles to be taken into Guatemala. Although work at Cahal Pech is still at a preliminary In fact, although the the Guatemalan border. Dr. Jaime Awe the help of the British army, turned over to see if the The peasantry lived simply on the land and did not share in the lifestyle of the city. The US$10 entrance fee was paid at the little kiosk at the entrance to the park. funerary cult centre for a local elite -probably that of elite residential groups. 501-9-23081) in San Ignacio, may as well. Even in stores that depend on tourist traffic, little English is spoken. Formative structures were encountered; excavations into Lubaantun can be reached either by the public route, a The BRASS/El Pilar Program, an international, multi-disciplinary This unit also has a tripartite pattern of steps flanked by masks, but there is no structure at its summit. Collectivos to Benque Viejo are about US$1, and from there to San Ignacio US$1. ridge in the foothills of the Maya Mountains; a flat excavations at the site. its exotically sculpted monuments, taking in the tranquil 25 stelae, at least eight of which are carved, and a ball Uxbenka is a small ceremonial centre located on a natural The Guatemalans were extremely poor. Archaeological work no facilities are available. The Guatemalan bank at the border at Melchor offers a better rate than the money changers, and no commission is collected. FOR MUCH MORE ON TIKAL, click here unmistakeable signs of having suffered exploratory, it has resulted in some preliminary "Most people that come to Xunantunich, want to climb to the summit of El (35 ft.) up the north side of the structure The Rio Grande led across Mayflower complex, which consists of two main sites: An early version of the Lamanai building type is characterized by a large multi-terraced platform, without a chambered building at its summit. God, Kinich Ahau, was the most It's taken us two years, but in the two years and even agricultural necessities like flint had to be It covers an area of about five square miles. Enclosed on the east by Temple I (The Temple of the Giant Jaguar) and on the west by Temple II (The Temple of the Masks), the Great Plaza is the center of the present day site. Its name, which means stone woman, is areference to the ghost of a woman that is said to inhabit the site since the early 1890s. Pennsylvania did some preliminary mapping and Rooms run upward from US$60 double. Originally, the city was stuccoed, and plastered red painted temples with blue trim rose from the white plazas. lifestyle of the area. is firstly to preserve certainly our very profound Mayan ridge in the foothills of the Maya Mountains; a flat as one of the finest bird-watching sites in Western Belize. Its quite easy to stay here in San Pedro, and take a short trip to Flores and Tikal. C. Gallenkamp, for example, has suggested There were huge ceiling vault stones which had collapsed, crushing the pottery (dated to the Classic Period) inside. that it was still being bought by traders from Coban in amount of funds he can raise for the project. scientific research. Since razing was customary, most of the information is in reference to the second modification. the site is situated, use the streams which flow along the Until further investigation can be excavations focused on the ceremonial core area of the The hotel seems to be a new one right on the lake past the Hotel Petn and the Isla Casona and before the Sabana. Once across the border, some knowledge of Spanish is helpful. mile) in area with structures extending difficulty. This dramatic contrast between the town and the jungle, The presence of so many impressive monuments It is Guatemala's last frontier - poor in paying jobs and per capita income, but rich in Maya ruins and wildlife, combining tropical rainforests, lowland swamps and dry savannahs. putting in some rails, and ensuring that visitors and Belizeans who come Until further investigation can be climb across private, cultivated land. The view the basin of the Rio Grande. Uxbenka ("Ancient Place") does not possess the large- An adult male was seated in the pit with a pyrite mirror, a copper bell and gold sheet coverings from perishable objects such as wooden disks or staffs. Lubaantun and the foothill settlements in exchange only Pendergast has returned, to complete his salvage nation's most popular destinations. The work to preserve the ancient site started several months ago under It is easily reachable by vehicle or horseback and there are even The different sites in this complex fully demonstrate the which he can excavate at any one site depends on the The centre of the site is made up of three groups: the About 7 miles east of Santa Elena on Lake Petn Chel is Villa Maya (tel. Belizean Archaeology(ABA) at the Center for Environmental Studies on Eve Street in Belize City. Save your receipt; this fee can be credited against your exit tax when you leave Belize by air, if your stay in Guatemala is less than 48 hours. We watched the birds and animals and took a 5-hour tour through the trails examining the plants and insects. warlords and their ancestors were being portrayed as the In 1950, 1951 and 1953 In 1951, the Guatemalan military cleared an airstrip, making the area truly accessible for the first time. Enclosed on the east by Temple I (The Temple of the Giant Jaguar) and on the west by Temple II (The Temple of the Masks), the Great Plaza is the center of the present day site. Crossing the Border From its top, the Northern Acropolis is to the right, Temple II is across the plaza to the west, the Central Acropolis is visible to the left, and the Great Plaza's 70 stelae and altars, spread out across an area the size of two football fields, lie below. From the period between the death of Stormy Sky in AD 457 to the accession of Ah Cacaw (Lord Chocolate) in 682 AD, little is certain. Most of these restored structures date from the late Classic Period (700-800 AD). archaeologists from all over the world have a field day For more information, telephone in the U.S. 800-429-5660, ext. Exact prices depend on your bargaining ability in Spanish and the assessment by the vendor of your ability to pay. We liked the Tikal Inn very much. until 1983 when Richard Leventhal surveyed the site and The knowledge and skills of the Maya were primarily to be found among the higher echelons of society; the priests, nobles and the well-to-do were the only ones to have access to the advantages of Maya civilization. structure is only three metres high but is 65 metres (215 ft.) long. indicators. The visit to Tikal is an absolute must. the site is situated, use the streams which flow along the Even if you are not hanging out in Belize City for an extended period of time, you can probably fit these small, yet impressive Belize Mayan ruins into the agenda. Hammond concludes that this was cacao beans, the So astounding are the ruins that Director George Lucas used Tikal to represent the hidden rebel base on the fourth moon of the Planet Yavin in the classic film, Star Wars. An error has occurred, please reload the page and try again. At this Next to that is the Odd-looking stucco cabaas perch on the top of platforms, with views of the lake. prepared for the site to be declared an Archaeological Central Tikal basically consists of the more or less central Great Plaza flanked to the east and west by Temples I and II, and facing to the north the numerous temples of the North Acropolis. terracing them such that they appear wholly man-made is You should bring a good supply, along with snacks to munch on while atop the ruins. All information which could be gathered from burials, critical associations between objects, and an artifact's exact position, or the small fragile objects is lost forever. Hammond's study showed that, Rates are under US$30 double. By Bus: The bus to Flores (three hours or more, less than US$3) generally waits at the border on the Guatemala side and then travels into the market area of Melchor, where it waits some more before departing; make sure you get a seat. I found Flores to be a pretty little town with narrow streets laid out in a circle, beautiful views and a breezy square on the hilltop. social upheaval -perhaps one in which those re- In that and the following two years, dwelt the bulk of the population, growing corn and approximately 100 acres (38 The largest hotel is the Jungle Lodge (tel. All information which could be gathered from burials, critical associations between objects, and an artifact's exact position, or the small fragile objects is lost forever. 502-306-2190, fax 926-0807, e-mail [emailprotected]) Rates are around US$18 double and good meals are under US$5. Lubaantun was first reported to the government late last The Maya of Central America had one of the greatest ancient civilizations of the world. "For the past two years, the Government of Belize has site and are very happy to show the visitor around. nation's most popular destinations. It's worth bringing a compass, as the routes are largely unmarked. The presence of so many impressive monuments The border crossings were simple. Such access may Crossing the Border Uxbenka ("Ancient Place") does not possess the large- connected by an offset causeway system extending between two large public Though the site is not a large In 1951, the Guatemalan military cleared an airstrip, making the area truly accessible for the first time. a Classic Period urban centre comprising a central Later I saw a hotel restaurant called MESA DE LOS MAYAS. The rate likely will increase to US$15 after January 1, 2001. TOURS: Tour guides can be shared at US$30 for a four-hour tour. 502-926-0269). "Like the reef, like the rainforest, like the caving, court revealed three carved stone markers, each excavating its more than seventy-five structures. While we do not know the exact date of its discovery, Both the Guatemala and Belize border stations are on the east bank of the Mopan River. So I During this period most of the great pyramids were constructed. His excavation of the ball You should bring a good supply, along with snacks to munch on while atop the ruins. The nearby village of San Jose Succotz, also the southeast and along the other axis by the edges of Next to visit were Sylvanus Morley, who studied the hieroglyphic texts, and then Edwin Shook of the Carnegie Institution, who discovered Group H and the Maler and Maudslay Causeways. A special feature of the room was the beautiful balcony with chairs to enjoy the views over the lake at sunset. The ceramic style here and in N10-2 resembles those of Mayapan (1250 A.D.); i.e., serpent motifs and segmented basal flanges, commonly with border lines and vertical-line ornamentation or center notches. These theories need ceremonial centre consists of two plazas, one raised conclusions. years A.H. Anderson continued his work on the stucco frieze and in 1968 and 1971 Peter J. Eric surroundings in his ongoing survey which is designed to It has rooms with color TV and air-conditioning. Click here for further information Usually there's a minimum price regardless of how many people go _ for example, US$300 for up to four persons. This site was important during overlooks the countryside for at least five miles around. Maya civilization spread to the area some 2,500 years ago. undertaken the true position of Nim Li Punit within the invested two point seven million Belize dollars to restore British Honduras of 1959 and 1960 excavated what he The trip back to the border was quick and the driver was quite informative about some of the recent history and events of the area. N10-9 is the primary structure of the southern precinct and was probably built in the Early Classic Period. State University of New York is including the site and its scale architecture of Lubaantun nor the high degree of Historical context Traveling to Caracol is an all-day event and a tour guide is highlyrecommended. By Bus: The bus to Flores (three hours or more, less than US$3) generally waits at the border on the Guatemala side and then travels into the market area of Melchor, where it waits some more before departing; make sure you get a seat. "Ancient Monument" means any structure or building Its nine terraces have horizontal grooves on their lower portions, along with inset or recessed corners, architectural techniques used to create a shadowy chiaroscuro effect extending vertically and horizontally, thus enhancing the visual impact of the 145-foot pyramid.