Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Feb 20!! Part two.

Here is the last person who got lost in this cave:)

The Crystal Maiden, was a young woman of about 20. It is believed she was clubbed and left for dead, and with the passage of time she has been cemented to the floor in a layer of brown calcite. (To reach her final resting place, you must climb aluminum ladders mounted on a sheer rock face!)

Picture of me taken in the main chamber.

Kat up a ladder:)


Here the group is waiting the climb the ladder to the final chamber.

Skull found in inner chamber

Cave formations, one of which looks like the Statue of Liberty.



Pottery found in the cave

Cave formations.

Fransico, our guide, explains the importance of the artifacts found in the cave.

More pottery found in the cave, considering their age they are well preserved.

Kat and the guests heading through a narrow part of the cave.

Here are a few more pictures of the ATM Cave, this time inside the cave and shows some of the artifacts, skeletons, skulls and cave formations that can be found in the cave. The artifacts have been here undisturbed for over 1200 years!

The Mayans used the ATM cave for various rituals and ceremonies including sacrafice to the gods. Daring not to stumble so that their torches would not get wet or even be extinguished; fearing that the spirits of the darkness would they dared themselves deeper and deeper into the realms of Xibalba, the Maya underworld, to ask their Gods for help. With every step the fear growing more and more, but they must carry out the ceremony. Come with us and discover where their footsteps trod over a thousand years ago.

Actun Tunichil Muknal, the bejweled cave of Belize, displays some of the most spectacular limestone dripstone formations, many glistening with spectacular calcite.
Aside from the geological wonders are the numerous relics of the Ancient Maya Culture. These were ritually deposited in caves, to beckon rains and overcome long periods of drought.

Actun Tunichil Muknal ("ATM")"Cave of the Stone Sepulchre"

Dr Jamie Awe (a relative of Emilio Awe, the owner of Pacz Tours) who is the head Archaeologist in Belize, examined the site in the 90's and discovered many of the artifacts that can be seen today.