Mayan Ruin Sites in Belize & Guatemala
There are many Mayan archaeological sites
close to duPlooy's - the main sites are:
An Introduction to the Maya
The ancient Maya created one of the world's
great civilizations with monumental, astronomically-aligned
ceremonial spaces, within which rituals
and political theater could be performed.
The population of Belize was thought to
be considerably larger during the Maya period
than it is today; the plethora of Maya sites
in the country is testimony to this. Today
about two million direct descendants of
the Maya live in the Yucatan, which is only
one-fifth of the estimated population at
the peak of the Maya civilization.
The Maya were never united politically,
existing in an almost perpetual state of
warring independent cities. In spite of
this, though, they produced a complex system
of hieroglyphs and accumulated an impressive
library of scientific information and historical
records. While the culture of the Maya was
responsible for such impressive and inspiring
architecture as Tikal, the cruel and blood-thirsty
religious practices were based upon pain,
suffering, sacrifice and self-mutilation.
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.
The peasantry lived simply on the land and
did not share in the lifestyle of the city.
It is possible to discern a pattern in these
sites which helps us reconstruct the history
of the highly creative but warlike Mayan
people. For example, it is suggested Cahal
Pech, above San Ignacio, rose to preeminence
in the Preclassic period before surrendering
its dominion to the neighboring people of
Buena Vista, and later, during the Classic
period, to that of Xunantunich. Belizean
archaeologists liken this to the warring
local fiefdoms of medieval Europe.
Belize clearly lay in the Maya heartland:
not only are some of the earliest sites
found in the country, but the recent discovery
of glyphs at Caracol, apparently portraying
a military victory over Tikal, suggests
that some of the Belizean centres were supreme
in the region.
Useful Information
You will need light-weight, comfortable clothing
and shoes with a good grip. Long trousers
are more suitable than shorts as they give
more protection from insects and
weather.
Take a hat and sunscreen year round. A
lightweight raincoat is often useful. Insect
repellant is a must and a container of drinking
water is advisable, as several sites are
remote from any facilities.
See our Mayan Sites Photo
Gallery for more images |
