Trip To A Sacred Site

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11-29-07 | Tim Stienstra

[Renfield]

Remnants of Mayan human sacrifices can still be seen in cave in Belize

~~~snip~~~

This cave, Actun Tunichil Muknal, "Cave of the Stone Sepulchre," leads about a half-mile underground to one of the few Mayan sacrificial sites in the world that is virtually untouched, with skeletal remains from 14 individuals and 1,400 artifacts that date back as far as 2,000 years. Opened only nine years ago, its location is a local secret, hidden deep in a jungle preserve in the Cayo District of Belize. Visitors are granted access only with guides certified by the National Institute of Archaeology, and even then, you must 4-wheel drive to a remote trailhead, and then hike, swim, wade and cave-trek to reach the chamber of the ultimate sacrifice.

~~~snip~~~

[Renfield]

One of the skeletal remains inside the Actum Tunichil Muknal, or "Cave of the Stone Sepulchre," in Belize. Photo by Daniel Silva.

[Renfield]

Mayan ping.

A visit to the Actun Tunichil Muknal, or "Cave of the Stone Sepulchre," which opens into Roaring Creek, is one of the highlights of a trip to Belize. Photo by Daniel Silva.

[laotzu]

I’m curious as to when the last time was the San Francisco Chronicle referred to anything Christian as “sacred”.

[blam]

Bump.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Renfield. Those human sacrificers must have been a little messy around the house. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[Monkey Face]

Dang...he was alive when I left him....

[SunkenCiv]

I was outta town when that happened.

[Monkey Face]

So you say...

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[Monkey Face]

:o])

[Bernard Marx]

This is clearly a puff piece for Cahal Peche Village, which probably gave the writer a free trip in return for printing nice things about them. There are several fine places to stay near San Ignacio in the Cayo District, suiting just about any travel budget. My advice is to spend some time on line and on the phone with travel agents if you're planning a visit, comparing prices, amenities and local tour options.

If you're seriously interested in the Maya, do not miss a trip to Caracol with a qualified guide. Nearby Tikal in Guatemala is awesome indeed, but Caracol is still being actively reclaimed from the jungle with frequent new discoveries: a fascinating view into archaeology at work. Comparing the two old rival city-states was very educational for me.

There are other very important Mayan sites in Belize including Santa Rita (Chetumal), Cerros, Lamanai, Nohmul, Cuello, Altun Ha, Xunantunich, Pacbitun, Pilar, Maintzunun, Lubaantun, Nim Li Punit and Uxbenka.

When you're full-up with archaeological stuff, head for Ambergris Cay and relax with a tropical drink and listen to the surf roaring against the second largest barrier reef in the world. Or put on your swim/snorkeling/diving gear and enjoy swimming with the rays and nurse sharks and other adventures.

[Renfield]

How safe is it for Americans to travel there now? I’d love to do this. How is the dollar doing versus Belizean currency?

Is it now safe to travel to Piedras Negras?

[Bernard Marx]

The tourist areas in Belize are generally pretty safe but it's always wise to check with the State Department about conditions at any given time. When I was there several years ago I had no problems at all: it's a wonderful place. The country that was of concern then (and now, I understand) is Guatemala, and I suspect that includes Piedras Negras. Check before you travel. My Guatemalan guide hovered over us, afraid we'd be kidnapped for ransom. Our hotel in Peten had guards armed with AK's.

American dollars are used just like the local currency in Belize. We paid for everything in dollars and locals preferred them, although it's wise to have some local cash on hand for unexpected situations. At that time the dollar bought lots of Belizean goods. I have no idea how current values compare. You can ask a travel specialist or use Google.