Altun Ha is located about 30 miles north of Belize City. The site covers an area of about 5 square miles. The ancient site did not come to the attention of archeologists until 1963. The Old Northern Highway connects Altun Ha. The tallest structure at Altun Ha’s, the “Temple of the Masonry Altars”, is 54 feet high,a drawing of this structure is the logo of Belize’s Belikin beer. Altun Ha lies on the north-central coastal Plain of Belize, in a dry tropical zone. Very few recognizable water sources, currently the only recognizable natural water source is a creek beyond the northern limit of the mapped area. The water sources used during occupation were Gordon Pond, which is the main reservoir and the Camp Aguada, which is located in the center of the site. The archaeological site center covers about one square mile of area, with at least 500 visible sturctures. There is also a trail that leads from plaza B to a main reservoir, towards zone E, a residential area, and several small mounds are visible. Many burials were recovered in this area, at the edge of the reservoir is the sites first temple built at Altun Ha, dating to the pre-classic period. Though not much else has been excavated, there are also several other areas of interest at the site, notably another temple at the eastern edge that was found to contain artifacts from the great city of Teotihuacan in the Valley of Mexico.
Altun Ha
Altun Ha was an important trading and religious ceremonial center. The Temple of the Masonry Altars is Altun Ha’s largest temple where a priceless piece of history in the form of a 15-centimeter high, jade head of the Maya Sun God, Kinich Ahau was found by archaeologist.
Altun Ha “Rockstone Pond” archeologists believe was first settled somewhere around 250 BC, but construction of the buildings began circa 100 AD and continued throughout the late classic period. Some 10,000 Mayas lived in and around Altun Ha, which was a major trading center as evidence shows by the large amounts of jade and obsidian excavated here in the early sixties and seventies. The larger of the two plazas, Plaza A, is the site of a mysterious tomb discovered beneath one of the temples called Temple of the Green Tomb. Jade, jewelry, flints and skins are among the three hundred remnants that were unearthed here.
Time: 7:00AM to 4:00PM (9 hours)
Things to bring: Comfortable cloth for the tour, Comfortable footwear for walking around the site,
Mosquito repellant, Cameras, Sun block, Medication if any
Private Tour includes: Entrance fee, water, snack, beer, sodas, lunch, tour guide and transportation
Email: info@belizefamilyadventure.com
Phone: 011 (501) 600-9192 or 011 (501) 670-0746
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