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Altun Ha
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Altun
Hais the name given ruins of an ancient Maya city
in Belize,
located in the Belize District about 50 kilometer (30 miles) north of
Belize
City. "Altun Ha" is
a
modern name in the Maya language,
coined by translating the name of the nearby village of Rockstone
Pond.
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Click any Pictures to enlarge
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The
ancient name of Altun Ha is at present unknown. Altun Ha has two
plazas and 13 structures, the most famous being the
Temple of Masonry Altars. Stone steps enable you to climb to the
top. It's been surmised that Altun Ha was once a significant
trading center for both jade and obsidian. Archeological
investigations had shown, that Altun Ha was occupied by
200 BC to 900
AD, when the site may have had a population of about 10,000
people.
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About
900 AD there was some looting of elite tombs of the site, which some
think is suggestive of a revolt against the site's rulers. After this
the population dwindled, with a moderate surge of
reoccupation in the 12th century before declining again to a small
agricultural village.
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The ruins of the ancient structures had
their stones reused for residential construction of the agricultural
village of Rockstone Pond in modern times, but the ancient site of
Altun Ha did not come to the attention of archeologists until 1963,
when the existence of a sizable ancient site was recognized from the
air by a bush pilot and amateur Mayanist Hal Ball.
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Masonry Altars
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The Adjacent Plaza
B is dominated by the sites largest temple, The Temple of Masonry
Altar, which rises 60 feet above the plaza and was the last in a
sequence of buildings raised on this spot. A drawing of this
structure is the
logo of Belize's leading brand of beer, "Belikin" and you will find it
on every bottle.
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This temple was
probably the main focus of religious ceremonies, with a
single stairway running up the front to an altar at the top.
Seven layers of tombs were found under a central stairway block, now
exposed.
The most impressive was the earliest. Inside the intact crypt,
lying on the right wrist of the skeleton entombed there was a jade head
representing the sun god Kinich Ahau. Smaller jade objects were also
found, along with pottery vessels, modified shells foreign to the area,
a Pyrex mirror, and a number of beautifully crafted eccentric flints.
The body was originally covered by Jaguar and Cougar skins and the
entire tomb was covered in red pigment.
If you take the time and effort to climb to the top of the largest
Temple in Altun Ha with 16 meter (54 ft) high, you'll discover an
inspiring, breathtaking panoramic view of the entire site and the
surrounding jungle.
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Sun God Kinich Ahau
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The
jade-head sculpture of Kinich Ahau, see Picture on the left side, was
found inside the Temple of the Masonry Altars is a national treasure.
It's giant head of the Sun God, standing 6 inches in diameter and
weighing in at 10 pounds, is also the largest Mayan-era jade carving
ever discovered.
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Kinich Ahau was also
know by the name Ah Xoc Kin, who was associated
with poetry and music. Kinich Ahau was the patron god of the city
Itzamal. Supposedly, he visited the city at noon everday. He would
descend as a macaw and consume prepared offerings. Kinich Ahau is
usually shown with jaguar-like features. Kinich Ahau also wears the
symbol of Kin, a Mayan day.
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Temple of the Green Tomb
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A-1 also known as The Temple of the Green Tomb, is the most imposing
structure in Plaza A. The temple was built during several construction
periods in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. Several minor modifications
continued to be made in succeeding centuries. |
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Found hidden deep
inside this temple was a single tomb dating back to
about A.D. 550. It is called the "Green Tomb," because it contained
almost 300 jade objects. Other artifacts included, jewelry, shell
necklaces, ornaments, pottery vessels, skin flints, the remains of a
Maya Book and for ritual bloodletting stingray spines. The tomb was
constructed in a manner that is unique among Mayan sites to those at
Altun Ha.
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Temple A3
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The
structure A3 rises in tiers with a broad stairway on the plaza
side. At the base of the stairs was a carved limestone altar for
a unique offering. It depicted a person seating on the throne speaking
to another individual, kneeling before him.
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The original
addition of plaster masks on the stair-side outsets of A3
and the existence of elite residences and construction of temples
indicate the first evidence that at A. D. 450 the developed institution
of kingship existed at Altun Ha.
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Altun Ha Tour
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Altun Ha is the
closest Maya Site to be Belize
City and is often used as a half a day
trip together with the Belize
Zoo, Old Belize, Cave Tubing or Zip
Lining. There are no regular scheduled public Bus Trips to Altun Ha,
but if you like to travel with the locals, just take a Bus for 2 US$ to
Crooked Tree and sign up for a tour with a licensed Guides there. The
most expensive way is to visit on a tour from Belize City.
You can easily travel cost effective in 45 minutes from Belize City to
Altun Ha with a rented car or a take taxi and negotiate the fare. If
you drive yourself, take the Northern Highway out of Belize City. About
20 miles (32 km) out, you will see a turn-off to the east, with a sign
reading
"Altun Ha." 12 miles later (19 km), there is a road to the west, also
with Altun Ha
signs, and about 2 miles (3 km) further to the ruins.
If you need a map
of the Altun Ha Site, at our Maya
Site Maps page, there is a printable version available for download.
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Weather
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Event Agenda
4th - 8th March
La Ruta Maya
River Challange
8th March
Baron Bliss Day
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