Actun Tunichil Muknal: The Cave of The Crystal Maiden

The Maya believed that caves , specially those that extend for several kilometers clandestine , are entries to the underworld or Xibalba , the "place of fear" , where the evil lords lived. The Maya people dreaded the underworld , as well as felt it necessary to appease the terrible gods that lived downwardly in that location past times performing sacrifices , the highest course of educational activity of which is the sacrifice of humans. One such cave where the Maya performed ritual sacrifices is located inwards the optic of Belize virtually San Ignacio inwards the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve.

The Actun Tunichil Muknal , conveniently abbreviated equally "ATM" , was outset explored inwards the belatedly 1980s. The entrance to the cave is shaped similar an threescore minutes drinking glass as well as is flooded amongst water. Remains of ceremonial offerings receive simply within the cave rima oris , starting amongst snail shells as well as growing stranger as well as to a greater extent than abundant equally ane moves deeper into the cave. About a quarter-mile from the entrance is the master copy bedchamber where ane tin flame run across the remains of xiv human skeletons including the calcified remains of what is named the Crystal Maiden.

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The Crystal Maiden. Photo credit: www.jmbelizetravel.com

The Crystal Maiden was a 20-something-year-old adult woman who was sacrificed past times an ancient Maya priest equally role of a religious ritual to a greater extent than than 1 ,000 years ago. She lies on her dorsum , her rima oris opened upwards as well as her entire skeleton covered inwards glittering calcite , created past times deposition of minerals , thus the call “Crystal Maiden”. The cave itself was named later her , or rather her tomb. Actun Tunichil Muknal way “Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre.”

Other skeletons were either tucked away inwards corners as well as crevices , or splayed out inwards the open. These ranged from one-year-old infants to adults inwards their thirties as well as forties. Everywhere in that location are ceramic pots , musical instruments , jewelry , modest sculptures as well as stingray spines , which were used for bloodletting. Many of these artifacts as well as remains are completely calcified to the cave floor. The Maya too sculpted the cave formations to practise altars for the offerings , or practise silhouettes of faces as well as animals or to projection a shadow picture into the cave.

Recent question on the ancient climate of Mesoamerica has revealed that drought mightiness convey played an of import role inwards the collapse of the civilisation , as well as mightiness last the purpose of these sacrifices which were works life to last made amongst increasing frequencies inwards the 9th century , simply earlier the Maya perished. According to Maya mythology , ane of the dwellers of the clandestine was Chac , the god of pelting , as well as these sacrifices as well as offering mightiness last made at him.

Most of the artifacts discovered inwards Actun Tunichil Muknal are left inwards the status they were works life inwards , making it ane of the best preserved caves containing Maya sacrificial objects.

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