Xunantunich is an ancient Mayan city located in Belize in Central America. Belize is a wonderful country to visit that really does a lot to preserve their Mayan ruins and make them as accessible as possible to the public. We spent a glorious day at this city in the jungles of western Belize.
The Mayan
The Yucatan peninsula in Central America was home to the Mayan civilization from approximately 1,800 BC to the 800s AD. The Mayan are known for their calendar, their codices, their knowledge of the movement of the celestial bodies, and for their architecture. The stepped pyramids of Central America rival those in Egypt. Today, Mayan ruins space central America from Guatemala to Mexico.
Xunantunich
The city of Xunantunich was first established near the Mopan River during the Mayan Preclassic period. By the 7th century AD, Xunantunich grew in size and, likely, in importance. This city consists of six plazas flanked by dozens of buildings that served as palaces and temples. As a city, there were also many residents that lived in houses located on over 20 acres here. As at any proper Mayan city, there is also a ball court. Mayan games were very intense, and often ended with the deaths of the losers.
Xunantunich became the administrative center of Mayan activity during the end of the Mayan period. In fact, it remained an active city for over a century after the rest of the Mayan civilizations in other sites was phasing out. It was active until about 900 AD. Years later, during the Mayan Postclassic period, Mayans reinhabited the site.
Xunantunich was given the name of “stone woman” or “maiden of the rock” back in the late 1800s. There are several theories as to the origin of the name. Some believe it was named after a female ghost that was said to haunt the site back when archaeologists first started excavating here in the 1890s. Others believe that is was named after a painting of a woman located at the site. The actual Mayan name of the city is not yet known.
Mayan Ruins
A majority of the site has yet to be unearthed. The jungles have done alot to conceal the Xunantunich from human activity. Unfortunately, early archaeologists in the late 1800s used dynamite to help in their excavation efforts, and destroyed irreplaceable structures and artifacts in the process. Looters have done additional damage, excavating just the goods they can sell without taking any records on the provenience of the artifacts. Thankfully, Belize has done a lot to help protect and preserve these sites for future generations.
El Castillo
El Castillo is the main pyramid in Xunantunich. It is named after the sun god, of whom it has a large statue of. Originally constructed in the 800s AD, at 130 feet, it is the tallest structure at the site and the second tallest in all of Belize. In fact, you can see Guatemala from the top of the pyramid. El Castillo serves as the “axis mundi” of the city; located at the spot where two cardinal directions intersect.
Where is it Located?
Xunantunich is located in San Jose Succotz, in western Belize just 8 miles from the Guatemalan border. If you take the western highway west from Belize City, it will bring you right past Xunantunich Road that leads to these Mayan ruins.