Xunantunich
Xunantunich is a Mayan cultural monument. It is located 130 kilometers west of Belize City in the Cayo District in western modern Belize, near the Mopan River. This place is not as hyped for tourists as Chichen Itza, Tiwanaku or Caracol, but will be informative to people interested in the history of pre-Columbian America, which still harbors many unsolved mysteries.
Title
The name of the archaeological site means “stone woman” in Yucatecan, and is a modern name, as the ancient one is unknown. “Stone Woman” is a fantastic creature that Belizeans believe inhabits these lands.
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Shunantunich Legend
There is a legend associated with the name: it is said that sometimes the ghost of a woman can be seen in front of the largest pyramid of Shunantunich, El Castillo, 40 meters high. She is dressed in white and has fiery red glowing eyes burning brightly on her face. She slowly ascends the stone staircase of the pyramid and disappears into the wall. Since 1892, several such appearances have been recorded, and witnessed not only by superstitious workers helping to clear the ruins, but also by quite respectable people.
.History
The various structures of Shunantunich date from the Classical period, from the 3rd to 10th centuries A.D. There is evidence that some of the structures were severely damaged by an earthquake during the years of the city’s existence, and after which some of the inhabitants left the city.
.Architecture
The central part of Shunantunich covers about 2.6 square kilometers and includes 6 squares around which 25 palaces and temples are located. The main structure is the Palace, which is 40 meters high. It is the second largest pre-Columbian structure in Belize after the temple in the town of Caracol. Limestone facades with reliefs are found on some of the buildings. Many of the buildings of Shunantunich are still hidden by the jungle or are almost entirely underground.
.Excavations
The first explorations of Shunantunich in modern times were conducted by Thomas Gunn in 1894 and 1895. The site was excavated several times between 1930 and the 1990s.
Address
Belize, Xunantunich Road
