When we were planning our 2010 vacation to Belize, Actun Tunichil Muknal cave (aka ATM cave or Cave of the Stone Sepulcher) was at the top of my list. For this is a true archaeological site where the Maya performed religious ceremonies between 250 – 909 AD. The Maya believed that the gods of rain and fertility resided in the underworld, and as ATM cave is underground, they revered it, considering it to be a scared. When they first went into the cave, they used the parts close to its mouth, but between 700 - 900 AD they journeyed to the deeper sections to perform their rituals. At this time, the Maya were in need of rain, so many rites probably involved the Rain God, Chac. I had read about this archaeological site and wanted to make sure I saw it while I was still physically fit for a demanding 3 - 4 hour trek in the cave. Because the cave is totally dark and enclosed by numerous rocks on all sides, visitors need to wear a hardhat with a headlamp. A river runs through the cave requiring cave guests to swim across a pool of water at the cave's entrance, slosh through waist-deep water with sharp rocks underfoot, climb over large boulders, pass through narrow passageways, and dodge the overhead rocks before their arrival in the cave's large dry chambers. But all of this is worth it, for here you are in for a real treat. You will see many true archaeological finds from the Mayan ceramic pottery, which they intentionally broke creating a "kill hole" to allow spirits to escape, to skeletons of sacrificial victims. Once at the back of the cave, you climb an aluminum ladder to view a complete skeleton of the Crystal Maiden, which is over a 1000 years old.  | ATM Entrance After a 45 minute walk through the jungle to reach the cave, you must cross the rocks in the foreground of this photo to enter the cave. Then wearing your sandals, you swim a short distance across the entrance to reach a spot where you can stand. |  | You wade through waist-deep water in a rocky terrain until you reach the dry chambers where you exchange your sandals for socks, which help protect the site. The orange tape marks the footpath. |  | As this is a true archaeological site,to ensure that nothing is disturbed and no one gets hurt, your guide must be certified by the Belize Institute of Archaeology. Brainard, who was our guide, was very knowlegeable about the various Mayan customs. |  | Bernarid told us, for example, that ceramic vessels found in the cave were always broken to create a kill hole to allow spirits to escape. |  | The stoneware is amazing when you think about how old and well perserved it is. The vessels were crafted using the coil method then smoothed evenly. I feel priveledged that I was allowed to view this sacred site of the Maya. |  | The hands of the figure on this vessel reach toward the heavens and its toes toward the underworld. |  | Also impressive are the beautiful stalagmites and stalactites on the walls of the cave. | | 
| ATM cave has absolutely no light: you couldn't even see your hand when everyone turned off their headlamps. Here, Jerry, my husband, examines a sacrificial victim. |  | 14 skeletal remains have been found in the cave. The people were scaraficed to appease the gods in hopes of bringing rain. |  | Crystal Maiden The most renown of the 14 skeletal remains discovered in ATM cave is the "Crystal Maiden." She was a 20 year old woman. As she was a young woman, she was probably considered to be “zuhui” - pure and uncontaminated in the eyes of the gods. So she was probably offered to the gods to bring rain. Once deep within the cave, she was clubbed and left for dead. And then, over eons, her bones calcified creating this sparkling appearance. |
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