Many, if not most, religions both modern and ancient share the concept of an underworld. The Greeks had Hades; the Japanese Shinto have Yomi; some might argue the Christian Heaven is incomplete without its corresponding Hell. The Mayans were no different, except that they apparently took the idea a step further and physically constructed portals into their own mythical subterranean domain. The caves and depths of the world provoke a sense of unease and trepidation by their very nature, and the natural features of the Yucatn were utilized by the Maya as literal entrances to Xibalba, their land of the dead.
At an archaeological site in the Yucatn peninsula, a stunningly extensive network of subterranean caves, passages, and even temples has given physical substantiation to the beliefs of the Maya, at least to the point of showing us how seriously they took their ideas about making passage to the underground land of the dead. Today, these caves are largely filled with water, but some scientists believe that they were always kept, and indeed constructed, in that fashion. Since our modern explorers required scuba gear to fully explore the caverns, one can only imagine the dedication and strength of the original builders.
The Ancient Tablets Speak
The writings of the Maya, often preserved in tablet form, suggest that the caves may have served the double purpose of acting as a flood barrier. This would have been an important function, given that many such sites exist under or adjacent to large temples or areas of settlement. The Maya regarded death as less of a permanent transformation and more of a journey or transference between states of being; as such, the underground caves provided a literal road by which the departed could travel to their new realm of residence, forging a physical link between to worlds: that of the living, and that of the dead.
The Remains of the Dead
It's not uncommon for archaeologists to discover human remains in these cave passages, or to stumble across skeletons half-buried near the pools and flooded sections adjacent to the underground rivers. The frequency with which human bones are uncovered at these sites has lead researchers to believe that the tunnels were thought of literally as a portal by which the recently deceased could make their way to Xibalba.
At least fourteen similar cave sites have been discovered in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. Often, the caves themselves are decorated with huge columns, carved by hand out of the subterranean rock, as well as sculptures, pottery, and other ritual detritus. The ceramics often contain kill holes, small openings in the bottom that were meant to allow spirits to escape from the vessel during a ritual offering.
Supposedly, the path to Xibalba was no easy journey. The souls of the dead would walk a perilous path, passing houses filled with ghosts, walls dripping with blood, and passages filled with snakes and spiders. A successful journey would require the help of benevolent spirits, such as a mythical dog with the power to see in utter darkness, but even then, many tests and trials would have to be endured in order to at last gain admittance to the land of the dead.
The Tunnel Interior
For those who haven't yet been, it's difficult to imagine the eerie sense of transportation one experiences when descending into a Mayan cave. Standing at the end of a subterranean road, gazing into the inky abyss of a pool at the foot of an immense and intricately-carved pillar, with broken shards and human bones strewn about the site, it's hard not to feel both a thrill of fear and a sense of immense awe at the reverence that their creators once held for these sites.
The Maya were certainly champion builders, constructing some of the ancient world's most incredible cities and gigantic pyramids. What now makes these structures even more fascinating is the knowledge that erecting them was hardly the limit of the builder's science practiced by these ancient architects, for below an astonishing number of these cities and temples can be found subterranean networks exhibiting equal grandeur and architectural skill.
Fortunately, the secret of these Mayan caves has not been lost to history, and many of them are accessible to tourists. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) in Belize is a popular site with some extraordinary relics, including the glittering, calcified skeleton of the Crystal Maiden, and can be reached and explored by taking a moderately strenuous day-long adventure hike. If you travel to Central America, be sure to reserve a day for a descent into the Mayan Underworld.
At an archaeological site in the Yucatn peninsula, a stunningly extensive network of subterranean caves, passages, and even temples has given physical substantiation to the beliefs of the Maya, at least to the point of showing us how seriously they took their ideas about making passage to the underground land of the dead. Today, these caves are largely filled with water, but some scientists believe that they were always kept, and indeed constructed, in that fashion. Since our modern explorers required scuba gear to fully explore the caverns, one can only imagine the dedication and strength of the original builders.
The Ancient Tablets Speak
The writings of the Maya, often preserved in tablet form, suggest that the caves may have served the double purpose of acting as a flood barrier. This would have been an important function, given that many such sites exist under or adjacent to large temples or areas of settlement. The Maya regarded death as less of a permanent transformation and more of a journey or transference between states of being; as such, the underground caves provided a literal road by which the departed could travel to their new realm of residence, forging a physical link between to worlds: that of the living, and that of the dead.
The Remains of the Dead
It's not uncommon for archaeologists to discover human remains in these cave passages, or to stumble across skeletons half-buried near the pools and flooded sections adjacent to the underground rivers. The frequency with which human bones are uncovered at these sites has lead researchers to believe that the tunnels were thought of literally as a portal by which the recently deceased could make their way to Xibalba.
At least fourteen similar cave sites have been discovered in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. Often, the caves themselves are decorated with huge columns, carved by hand out of the subterranean rock, as well as sculptures, pottery, and other ritual detritus. The ceramics often contain kill holes, small openings in the bottom that were meant to allow spirits to escape from the vessel during a ritual offering.
Supposedly, the path to Xibalba was no easy journey. The souls of the dead would walk a perilous path, passing houses filled with ghosts, walls dripping with blood, and passages filled with snakes and spiders. A successful journey would require the help of benevolent spirits, such as a mythical dog with the power to see in utter darkness, but even then, many tests and trials would have to be endured in order to at last gain admittance to the land of the dead.
The Tunnel Interior
For those who haven't yet been, it's difficult to imagine the eerie sense of transportation one experiences when descending into a Mayan cave. Standing at the end of a subterranean road, gazing into the inky abyss of a pool at the foot of an immense and intricately-carved pillar, with broken shards and human bones strewn about the site, it's hard not to feel both a thrill of fear and a sense of immense awe at the reverence that their creators once held for these sites.
The Maya were certainly champion builders, constructing some of the ancient world's most incredible cities and gigantic pyramids. What now makes these structures even more fascinating is the knowledge that erecting them was hardly the limit of the builder's science practiced by these ancient architects, for below an astonishing number of these cities and temples can be found subterranean networks exhibiting equal grandeur and architectural skill.
Fortunately, the secret of these Mayan caves has not been lost to history, and many of them are accessible to tourists. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) in Belize is a popular site with some extraordinary relics, including the glittering, calcified skeleton of the Crystal Maiden, and can be reached and explored by taking a moderately strenuous day-long adventure hike. If you travel to Central America, be sure to reserve a day for a descent into the Mayan Underworld.
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