Xunantunich
Xunantunich is located atop a ridge above the Mopan River, well within sight of the Guatemala border – which is 0.6 miles (1 km) to the west.[1] It served as a Maya civic ceremonial centre to the Belize Valley region in the Late and Terminal Classic periods (c.700-900AD).[3] Xunantunich's name means "Maiden of the Rock" in the Maya languages Mopan and Yucatec, combining "Xunaan" (noble lady) and "Tuunich" (stone for sculpture).[5] In 1959–60, the Cambridge Expedition to British Honduras arrived in the colony, and its archaeologist member, Euan MacKie, who carried out several months of excavation at Xunantunich.Using the European method of detailed recording of the stratigraphy of the superficial deposits (the masonry structures themselves were not extensively cut into) he was able to infer that both buildings had been shattered by a sudden disaster which marked the end of the Classic period occupation.An earthquake was tentatively proposed as the cause; it is inferred purely on the basis of the excavated evidence, and also on the very damaged state of the top building of Structure A-6 ('El Castillo').[7] Other nearby Maya archaeological sites include Chaa Creek and Cahal Pech, Buenavista del Cayo, and Naranjo.[1][2] The core of the city Xunantunich occupies about one square mile (2.6 km2), consisting of a series of six plazas surrounded by more than 26 temples and palaces.The chamber also contained a number of ceramic vessels, obsidian knives, jade pearls, animal bones and some other artefacts made of stone.[12][13] During a time period when most of Maya civilizations were crumbling, Xunantunich was managing to expand its city and its power over other areas within the valley.It is known that Xunantunich superseded Buenavista as the hub of sociopolitical administration for the upper valley, in addition to the main location for elite ancestral and funeral rites and ceremonies.
MesoamericaSan Jose SuccotzBelizeCayo DistrictPreclassicarchaeologicalBelize CityMopan RiverGuatemalaYucatecThomas GannBritish HondurasSir J. Eric S. ThompsonEuan MacKiesoil qualityChaa CreekCahal PechBuenavista del CayoNaranjoEl CastilloChichen ItzaCaracolball courtJaime AweHistory of BelizeList of Mesoamerican pyramidsMaya civilizationMaya ruins of BelizeMesoamerican chronologyPre-Columbian BelizeMaya sitesActun Tunichil MuknalAltun HaBaking PotBarton Creek CaveCerrosCuelloEl PilarKaʼKabishKʼaxobLa MilpaLamanaiLouisvilleLower DoverLubaantunMarco GonzalezMinanhaNim Li PunitNohmulNohoch CheʼenPacbitunPusilhaSan EstevanSanta RitaUxbenkaXnahebAguatecaAltar de SacrificiosArroyo de PiedraBalbertaBejucalCancuénCerro QuiacChitinamitChocoláChutixtioxCotzumalhuapaDos PilasEl BaúlEl ChalEl MiradorEl PerúEl PorvenirEl TemblorEl TintalEl ZotzGuaytánHolmulHoltunIximcheIxtontonIxtutzKaminaljuyuKʼatepanLa AmeliaLa BlancaLa CoronaLa JoyancaLa MuertaMachaquilaMixco ViejoMontanaMotul de San JoséNaachtunPajaralPiedras NegrasPunta de ChiminoQuiriguáQʼumarkajRío AzulSan BartoloSan ClementeSeibalTakalik AbajTamarinditoTayasalTopoxteTres IslasUaxactunUcanalWajxaklajunWitznaXultunZacpetenZaculeuZapote BobalHondurasCopánEl PuenteMexicoAcancehAguada FénixBalamkuBalankancheBonampakCalakmul