Mayan Temples

Mayan Temples

MAYAN TEMPLES:

Nim Li Punit, meaning "big hat" in Mayan, was discovered in 1976. This site has been classified as strictly a late classic period site. Situated along the top of a ridge in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, the site has a commanding view of the coastal plains of the Toledo district.  The center of the site consists of three main plazas, including a ball court. The largest structure stands 40 ft. above the plaza level. A second structure is only ten feet high, but is two hundred feet long.   Nim Li Punit is located in the village of Indian Creek which approximately 25 miles from Punta Gorda Town on the Southern Highway.

UXBENKA - Uxbenka means "Old Place" in Mayan. The site, perches on a ridge overlooking the foothills and valleys of the Maya Mountains in the Toledo District of southern Belize. Old place appears to be an appropriate name for the site since it dates from the Early Classic Period. Unfortunately the site is not in good archaeological form at the present and contains structural mounds, a small plaza and some unexcavated pyramids. There are also seven carved stelae at the site and while one of them contains the earliest archaeological date yet recorded in southern Belize, most are too badly eroded to read. There are also thirteen non carved stelae. The nearby hillsides have been faced with cut terrace stones. This art form has not been found outside the Toledo District. This site was discovered in 1984 and it has not yet been reconstructed.  Uxbenka is located opposite the village water supply tower on the outskirts of Santa Cruz Village, Toledo District.  The village of Santa Cruz is approximately 27 miles from Punta Gorda Town. 

LUBAANTUN - Lubaantún is located on the outskirts of Columbia Village, approximately 22 miles from Punta Gorda Town.  Its name means "place of fallen stones" in Mayan.   It was a focal point for trade as goods would be brought to the center and then redistributed. The main marketplace was located in Lubaantún's ceremonial enclosure and the site's own contribution to the regional trade system was its clay figurines. The largest structure at Lubaantún rises 36 feet above the plaza floor. From the summit of this structure there is a beautiful view of the foothills of the Maya Mountains and the Toledo coastal plains. The center of the site lies along a ridge top twenty miles from the sea.  The ceremonial center of this site has 11 major structures grouped around five main plazas. 

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