Belize Archeaology
Belize shares a rich Maya heritage with its neighboring countries of Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras, and is considered to have been the heart of Maya civilization during the classic period.
Although Belize's Maya occupation began as early as 1500 BC, it was during the Classic period of 250 AD to 900 AD that the population is thought to have exceeded one million people. Archaeological remains of the ancient Maya include pottery, skeletons, stelae, and tall palaces, temples, and ceremonial centers.
It is estimated that there are thousands of Maya Ruins in Belize. Only a few of these have been found and even fewer have been excavated by scientists. All of the following sites are available for public viewing.
Belize was once the center of one of the greatest civilizations of antiquity.
Evidence of the ancient Maya lie strewn about the country. Climb ancient temples for spectacular views of the surrounding jungle; view larger-than-life stelae and carvings of gods and rulers; marvel at the beauty and artistry of jade artifacts in museums and visitor centers; or indulge your dream of being an archaeologist through study programs or assisting with professional field research
Recent discoveries and expanded analyses have led many archeologists and cultural anthropologists studing Mayan history to conclude that the center of Mayan civilization was, in fact, Belize! Belize is a treasure trove of ancient Mayan temples, towns and cities, only a few of which have been uncovered. The Maya are probably the best-known of the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica . Originating in the Yucatán around 2600 B.C., they rose to prominence around A.D. 250 in present-day southern Mexico , Guatemala , northern Belize and western Honduras. Building on the inherited inventions and ideas of earlier civilizations such as the Olmec , the Maya developed astronomy, calendrical systems and hieroglyphic writing. The Maya were noted as well for elaborate and highly decorated ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories, all built without metal tools. They were also skilled farmers, clearing large sections of tropical rain forest and, where groundwater was scarce, building sizeable underground reservoirs for the storage of rainwater. The Maya were equally skilled as weavers and potters, and cleared routes through jungles and swamps to foster extensive trade networks with distant peoples.
ABOVE: Xunantunich - Maiden of the Rock one of the tallest Mayan Ruins in Belize.
Around 300 B.C., the Maya adopted a hierarchical system of government with rule by nobles and kings. This civilization developed into highly structured kingdoms during the Classic period, A.D. 200-900. Their society consisted of many independent states, each with a rural farming community and large urban sites built around ceremonial centres. It started to decline around A.D. 900 when - for reasons which are still largely a mystery - the southern Maya abandoned their cities. When the northern Maya were integrated into the Toltec society by A.D. 1200, the Maya dynasty finally came to a close, although some peripheral centres continued to thrive until the Spanish Conquest in the early sixteenth century.
Maya history can be characterized as cycles of rise and fall: city-states rose in prominence and fell into decline, only to be replaced by others. It could also be described as one of continuity and change, guided by a religion that remains the foundation of their culture. For those who follow the ancient Maya traditions, the belief in the influence of the cosmos on human lives and the necessity of paying homage to the gods through rituals continues to find expression in a modern hybrid Christian-Maya faith.
If you are interested in learning more about Belize Mayan History/ Indian History, book a tour requesting Donald Ramirez as your tour guide. He is specialized in Indian History of Central America.